Realistic Dreams
by Stigmata-Crow
Summary: Bella decides to let Edward go in Eclipse Soon the Pack has to seek help from outside sources in order to protect her from Victoria, the Volturi, and possibly more. BxJ Rated M for language, violence, and sexual situations.
1. A Sensible Response

Wow, first time I've written a fic in a long time… and I'm not even that huge of a Twilight fan. I just can't stop getting angry about some of the things that are happening in the story about 2/3s through New Moon. Not a big Edward fan here, heh. I do however like the way Meyer has injected some newness into the vampire/werewolf genre. Even if I don't like the whole sparkling thing. And werewolves, always a plus.

Anyways, this is my attempt to give Bella a more sane reaction to what Edward has been doing to her. I'm sorry, but if some guy takes the engine out of my car, it's not cool. I don't care how much he glitters. Team Jacob supporters are probably going to be enjoy this more *wink*.

This starts in the middle of chapter 6 of Eclipse. I'm changing the day to the weekend for convenience. The first section in italics is a quote. Rated T for language, subtle BxJ, for now.

Standard disclaimer is standard, and thus I do not own ^_^.

All Bella POV.

_ A second later, comprehension came and I gasped in horror. "It's for every time he's gone, isn't it?"_

_ She nodded._

_ I slammed the door and stomped toward the house. She danced along next to me, still unrepentant._

_ "Alice, don't you think this is just a little bit controlling? Just a tiny bit psychotic, maybe?"_

_ "Not really." She sniffed. "You don't seem to grasp how dangerous a young werewolf can be. Especially when I can't see them. Edward has no way to know if you're safe. You shouldn't be so reckless."_

I turned to face her, my mouth agape. I'm sure I resembled some sort of fish from the look on Alice's face, but at that moment I didn't care. It was unbelievable. My voice went hard.

"Alice…. How can you say that with a straight face?"

She stopped her dancing and looked back at me. "I'm serious Bella. They could really hurt you."

My stomach dropped to my feet. It was a funny feeling, getting sick from anger. I started to understand a little of what Jacob had to deal with. I almost wished I was him in that moment. Not to hurt Alice, I wouldn't dream of it. It was the thought of bursting out of my skin that was so appealing. The ability to cast everything off and just run, run until my joints ached and I couldn't feel anything but tired sounded like the best idea in the world at that point.

I wanted to run because my mind shifted back to my last birthday, and the look in Jasper's eyes. I was just about tired of being reminded how dangerous werewolves were when I've had my share of close calls with vampires, including the ones in this family. I almost wanted to throw that party in Alice's face, in that moment of anger. But I didn't think it was fair to take out my emotions on her, when they, for the most part, weren't her fault. At least, I didn't think they were. And, as angry as her comment made me, I wasn't going to make her feel bad over an incident that I had already forgiven Jasper for. So instead I scrunched up my face, turned and began walking down the drive.

"Bella what are you–"

"I have to go home."

"Bella, you just got here."

"I still have to go home."

"Come on Bella, I have the whole night planned, I–"

"I **still** have to go home." The flipping in my gut started to go faster. I didn't even know why I was so angry at this point, but I never should have agreed to this. Then I wouldn't have to deal with whatever reason it was that I was becoming infuriated to the point of almost seriously hurting one of my closest friends. I was fast on the way to becoming an emotional wreck and I didn't quite know why. The werewolf comment made me angry, but I didn't think it should be having this effect on me. I shouldn't be raging inside. What I did know that spending the night with Alice wasn't going to help anything, and I just wanted to go home and try to put my finger on whatever the hell about this situation was setting me off like this.

"Bella, you know Edward won't like this."

_Edward. _I grimaced. No Edward wouldn't like this, but I was liking it far less. I disliked this entire event that Edward apparently had planned almost enough to make that comment I was trying to hard to suppress.

That was it wasn't it? I was mad at Edward. How dare he set his sister up with a Porsche in return for babysitting me? I'm not a baby. I can make my own choices. How could he claim to love me when he didn't trust me enough to let me live my life the way I want to? How could he…

I didn't think I could deal with that line of thinking without crying, which I wasn't about to do in front of Alice, so I forced myself to forget it for the time being, shook my head, and turned back to her.

"Alice, I have to leave because I'm about to offend you."

Alice giggled. "Bella there is anything you could do to – oh…." She frowned and looked at the ground. I joined her in inspecting the driveway.

"I guess the rest of that comment would have made me say it," I said, feeling the blush creep down my face. Damn vampires and their damned powers. "Look, Alice, I need to go home and… think. I was expecting a spontaneous weekend. Well, dreading one. Instead it's like I've been… lured into house arrest. I know you care about me, but this isn't ok Alice. I don't care if I have to walk, I'm going home. You can even tell Edward I told you he has to let you keep the car, and anything else he gave you to set this whole thing up. I'm just… entirely not up to this tonight."

I turned and began walking down the driveway, intent on making good on my promise. I didn't make it three steps when Alice sighed and opened the car door. "I can see it's what you really want. I guess I'll give you a ride."

I weighed the options. There was a lot of ground to cover between here and Charlie's. A lot of uneven ground. Which meant a lot of opportunities to trip, slip, and fall. Crestfallen, I headed towards the passenger seat and got in.

The silence got awkward as she backed out of the driveway. I attempted to come up with something to say, but after a few minutes, all I said was a feeble "Sorry, Alice."

She looked over at me with her shining eyes. "What for Bella?"

"For, you know, ditching you tonight… and what I said."

She smiled lightly. "You didn't actually say it Bella."

"Yeah, but I was going to– "

She raised one hand off the wheel to stop me. "Don't worry about it Bella. Nobody expects you to keep your emotions in check all the time. Besides, you look like you could use the time. You were starting to tremble back there." She returned her hand to the wheel. "I'll just call you tomorrow and we can hang out if you're up to it."

Her forgiveness made me feel worlds better. "Thanks for understanding."

"Not a problem."

* * *

The rest of the ride home was more relaxing. It made me feel better that at least Alice could come to her senses and let me do what I wanted to. Alice chattered on here and there, and I paid due attention, and when silence came, I allowed myself to think.

Why had I gotten so angry? Alice hadn't done anything so horrible to earn my ire, even if she was conspiring with Edward against me. I ran her comment through my head a few more times, letting the hypocrisy of it all affect me again. Jacob dangerous? I didn't think he could be. Not to me. As for Edward, who I had suspected was behind my sudden outburst before, I just didn't know why this would suddenly make me so angry at him. It wasn't the first time he's over reacted, you'd think I'd been used to it by now. But there was something wrong here, something that prevented me from letting go and forgiving Edward, like I had done so many other times before. What it was, however, still eluded me.

Granted I had seen the after affects of werewolf anger. Emily's face may have gotten easier to look at, but what happened still loomed over those scars. I knew Sam was going to be dealing with that for the rest of his life. The same goes for everyone.

That made me think back to Edward. I knew the reason why he was being so overprotective. But it… it just didn't sit right. Wasn't Edward supposed to bring substance back to my life? Weren't things supposed to get better? Instead it was like I went from being a zombie to being in preschool. He even sent Alice to hold my hand so I wouldn't have to be afraid of the Big Bad Wolf.

Somehow the Big Bad Wolf seems far less scary next to a group of humanoid predators. Edward was right about vampires being the perfect predators. At least the Quileute boys looked threatening. The Cullens didn't look threatening. They looked like a Hollywood family. Not only do you want to be near them, you want to be them. I certainly knew that. But the fact remained that if it weren't for Carlisle and his influence, Edward and the rest could move among us unchecked for the great part. The more I thought about it, the more dangerous they seemed over Jacob, in purely theoretical terms at least. Jacob's height and new muscles made him look like he could kill you if he had half a mind. But that had the added benefit of causing the average person to keep them at arm's length, and not want to do anything to piss them off. Heh, that was probably why they were so big, one less reason to test their anger. Edward on the other hand drew you in, made you feel comfortable. What was more dangerous, the threat you saw coming or the threat you were unaware of? I'm beginning to think it's the latter.

I shook my head. It was weird to think of Edward in those terms. I would never think that he would do anything, but keeping me from my best friend using danger as an excuse? Didn't he realise I was used to danger by now? Kisses that could kill me, arms that could crush me… then motor cycles and cliff diving. When it comes down to werewolves, they almost seem like a step towards safety. At the very least, none of them had an underlying desire to kill me. If they hurt me, it would be purely on accident.

Then I thought back to the conversation I had with Edward. Switzerland. Pft, what bullshit that was. I should have known it as it was coming out of my mouth. That definitely made me angry. I put the effort forward to try and settle things between everyone and he pulls this shit? What… what a_ fucking bastard._

Alice pulled up to Charlie's and wished me a good night. I managed to make it upstairs with only the most cursory of explanations to Charlie. Thank God he wasn't one for words. As I trudged up stairs and put my bag down, it felt like the world was weighing down on me. I took my jacket off and headed for the bathroom. I looked sallow in the mirror, and began chewing my lip as I leaned against the sink.

I hated this. Hated feeling like this. Hated being angry at Edward. We were supposed to get past this. His jealousy was ridiculous. Didn't I come back to him? Didn't I forgive him for breaking me? Not only was I angry, I was miserable. I had forgiven him, and in return I get treated like a captive? Shutting my eyes, I replayed everything. My engine, this stunt, those… months without him. Without them. Without even realising it, tears began sliding down my cheeks.

Was it always going to be like this?

Like… what? What is this like? I don't even know.

_ You know the answer to that Bella_.

Great. Just great. I'm hearing voices again. Well, at least it's not Edward's voice anymore.

_Call it an inner monologue._

If a voice could smirk, that one just did. But I suppose I'm so used to my conscience being directed by foreign voices, I assigned it a new one after Edward came back. Male again, hmm. How very Freud of me.

I know the answer to what exactly, conscience-voice?

_You know what it's always going to be like._

And what's that?

_Sheltered. What is he if not your knight in shining armour?_

Aren't knights in shining armour supposed to save girls from captivity, not put them into it?

_You never get to see much pass the happily ever after. But what is he supposed to do when he doesn't have to save you anymore? Play chess?_

What was our relationship going to be like after he changed me? Would it be the same or would it stagnate? What was Edward to me besides a knight in shining armour? Did I even know him?

It had been so hard, moving to a new place, especially since I didn't want to be here. Then I met Edward, who I dreaded until he became the reason why Forks made me happy. Then he ripped it all away from me with a few short words. I was left with Jake, trying to rebuild only to have Edward come back and bring everything, all that emotional baggage, back with him_._

I hit the sink, immediately regretting it as I rubbed my hand. What more did he want from me? Why did he have to take Jake away, didn't he see that my life already revolves around him.

Oh. Oh, God. My life revolves around him.

Ever since he got back, my life, my everything has been about him.

I suddenly felt guilty. I used Jacob to heal the hole in my heart. I used the pack because they were a family to belong to. He welcomed me into his home and family. Emily treated me like a sister. The boys grew on me. Jacob grew on me. It became so much more than a replacement for the Cullens.

And then I left them. And I didn't even do it for benevolent reasons, like Edward did. I did it for selfish reasons. I did it for my own happiness. And now I'm not even happy.

I ran my hand through my hair as it suddenly felt like I was choking.

How could I do that to Jake? To Sam and Emily and the rest? How could I be so fucking selfish? And to top it all off, when Jake told me how worried Sam was about me when if found me, I got mad at him for showing Edward.

I was sick with myself. I couldn't let it get this way anymore. "He doesn't have the right to tell me who I can and cannot see," I said aloud.

_He saved your life Bella, _said the nagging voice in my head. Yes, he saved my life. He protected me from James, and from Jasper. But those things happened to me because I knew him. It was a harsh thing to think, but it was true. It wasn't his fault, it wasn't anyone's fault, but the observation still stood.

But he took responsibility for that. He's always taken responsibility. "It's why I want him to change me, so he can stop worrying," I murmured. So he didn't have to save me anymore.

_You sure that's what he wants?_

I'm not sure of anything right now.

_ Don't forget, Jake saved you too,_ the voice countered back. And that he did. He saved me from things he never caused. Things he tried to fix. He saved me from Laurent. And he saved me from myself.

My stupid self. I was the one who caused this whole damned thing to happen. Jumping off from that stupid cliff and making Edward go haywire.

_No silly. You aren't responsible for his actions when he isn't there._

Wasn't I? Or was he? After all me made me feel so empty, which caused the voice. But my fragility made him leave. It was hard to see where the circle began.

* * *

I began to pace around my room. If nothing else, I was finally working through this mess, rather than letting it stagnate. Finally I would be able to parse out exactly how I felt and work from there. It wasn't fair to anyone involved if I couldn't do at least that. If I can't be honest to myself, who can I be honest to?

That was the problem. I wasn't being honest to myself. I didn't just want Edward to change me so that he could stop worrying. I wanted what everyone else wanted, to be like him. Except I knew what he was, which made that lie even worse. I now knew why Edward didn't want to change me. Not only was it my soul he was messing with, but the feelings of so many people. I just left my mom, changing would mean I would have to leave my dad. Eventually, I wouldn't be able to see them anymore from being perpetually young. And then they would die.

But I would already be long dead. No family. No nieces like Alice, not that she can see them. I would have to give up everything to be with Edward.

_Is he worth it Bella? Is he worth giving your life away? Is he worth breaking Renee's heart? Charlie's heart? Any of your friends?_

I stopped dead in the middle of my floor when the realisation suddenly hit me.

No.

He wasn't worth it. Not if it meant giving up my parents. Not if it meant giving up my friends. And especially not if it meant he was going to have his fucking siblings babysit me while he was away.

I wasn't in love with Edward anymore. I was in love with the idea of him, the memory of him. I was too busy missing my old relationship with him and being so glad that he was back that I didn't even notice that things weren't the same. That he wasn't the same. He was always protective, but never in a way that bothered me. And he never stopped me from seeing my friends.

Whatever he was now, whatever came back from Italy, I didn't want it.

And I didn't want to be a vampire anymore either.

_And you were wondering why it all made you so angry. You can only have your first love once Bella. Anymore and it spoils the mirage._

I sat down on the windowsill, nodding in agreement, and cried bitterly. Even if I didn't want it, it was too late. The Volturi… they'd come eventually. I was sure of it. And if I wasn't a vampire, I would be dead.

What a stupid, stupid girl I was.

Come morning I was still crying in bed, drifting in and out of sleep, holding a pillow as if it were my life line and I was about to lose it. Looking at the clock, I realised that Alice would be calling soon, and I didn't know what I would tell her. I didn't want to go back. But I didn't want to die anymore either. The things we cry for once their already gone.

I would have to go back there. I couldn't stop the Volturi. Nothing short of divine intervention could, and I don't think God was so inclined at the moment. I put the pillow down and went to have a shower. Turning the handle, I set the water to as hot as I could handle it and just stood in it, wishing the water would blast my problems off. The heat radiated off the bathroom walls, cocooning me. It was sorely missed comfort, being always cold, always surrounded by hard smooth skin.

I stayed there until the water went warm, and then turned the handle up more, until I couldn't even remember what cold felt like. I stared at the drain, watching the water go down through the haze of steam. As good as it felt, it wasn't washing away my problems. Drowning anything, from yourself to your sorrows is very hard to do in a shower. I wasn't about to try drowning myself anyways. If I didn't want the Volturi to kill me, why on earth would I do it myself?

For the first time in a long time, I wanted to live. Truly, humanly live. And it just wasn't fair.

_I thought we were past lying. And we were having such a breakthrough, _said the no-longer-Edward voice in my head, sighing.

Shut up, I told it. I wasn't lying, I didn't want to die anymore.

_Not that._

Then what? What the hell else could I be lying about? The voice may not have been Edward anymore, but it was starting to occur to me that whoever the voice was, it was strikingly familiar. I felt stupid not knowing it.

_Two things, actually. First it hasn't been that long since you wanted to live, Bella honey. Second, there is a way to stop the Volturi without throwing your life away._

I think it's when you don't understand the voice in your own head when you know for sure that you're truly delusional beyond help.

_Come on Bella, you don't need the bloodsuckers for this!_

Bloodsuckers? Since when do I refer to vampires as bloodsuckers in my internal monologue? Or to myself as Bella honey? Come to think of it, it almost sounds like Jacob. My eyes widened through the water.

Jacob?

_Should I be offended that you didn't realise it at once?_

There was a time I was never cold. And that was with Jacob. He was my personal sun, and personal heater. He made me smile through my darkest days, and I did want to live again, even though I never allowed myself to properly think so. This was so unfair. Just as I'm about to lose him, Jake becomes the voice in my head. I may have to take hot showers for eternity just to hear it. What the fuck?

The voice chuckled Jacobs throaty laugh. _The water's gonna get cold eventually Bella. Besides, you haven't explored Option C._

Option C. There was no Option C.

Option A: Become a vampire.

Option B: Die.

That's all there was to it. No third way to stop the Volturi.

_Really?_

"Yes really. Geez, at least Edward never patronised me," I muttered into the tile.

The chuckle came again. _Maybe patronising is what you need, at least until your memory returns. What stops vampires, Bella-dear?_

Tearing them apart, Jacob-conscience.

_Now who do you know that can do that?_

With that I slipped against the wall I was leaning on and planted solidly on my ass. It stung, but not as much as what just occurred to me.

Werewolves can do that. They did it with Laurent. They were trying to do it to Victoria too.

I got up carefully, rubbing the back of my thigh. But these were Volturi. They weren't random travelling vampires. They were the cream of the crop.

_Seriously underestimating us again Bella._

No I'm not. I don't want any of you getting hurt because of me. I left you for vampires, with barely so much as a 'thanks for not letting me kill myself.' I don't deserve your help, why should you give it?

_We protect our own Bella._

I'm not a part of that anymore.

_ Says you._

You probably won't even help me. Not after what I've done. You don't need more vampires here, more boys phasing, more trouble than I'm worth.

_It can't hurt to ask._

I turned the water off. No. It can't hurt to ask. Well, it might hurt to ask Paul, I thought smirking. I towelled off and dressed quickly.

"I'll ask. The worse Sam'll do is turn me down. But it's an option. And it's a lot better than A and B."

_ That's the spirit honey._

I smiled to myself and ran downstairs to see if I could catch Charlie. He was finishing his coffee in the kitchen.

"Hey, Bella. You can go over to Alice's if you like, I've got to get going in a minute. There's been another animal sighting just outside La Push."

I grinned internally. I bet there was. "Actually Dad, can I come with you? I wanted to go see Jacob today."

Charlie smiled at the prospect. "That sounds like a great idea Bella, so long as you're ready to go in a minute."

"I'm ready now," I said, grabbing a banana.

He took the last swig of his coffee and folded up the newspaper. "Well let's go then."

Yes. Let's go. I have to ask the scariest, most important question of my life. And I had to do it before I chickened out.

* * *

I started freaking out as soon as Charlie got on to the road. I really and truly am not made for stress. I managed to keep myself moderately under control, though I'm sure Charlie noticed me wringing my hands and tapping my feet. I turned the radio on to try and give me something else to focus on. It didn't work. I kept trying to run through what I was going to say to Jake and to the rest of the guys, but through my nerves everything I thought of just sounded dumb.

_You'll do fine._

Not helping. I twisted my fingers for what seemed to be the millionth time when Charlie pulled up to Jacob's house. I don't know it's possible for one length of time to pass in both seconds and eternity, but that car ride did it. Charlie didn't give me a curfew to be home by as he wished me goodbye.

_That's because he likes me._

You're voice smirking again. Not. Helping.

As I walked up to the door my mouth went instantly dry. They were going to refuse me. I knew it. There was no way in hell they would agree to this. I had cost them too much already, and I threw their hospitality back in their faces by running back to Edward. I was crazy to think this would work. Downright insane. I should just turn around.

_Bella, Charlie already left. _I turned around. He was right. Guess I'm walking. _Billy's seen you. _I looked back at the house. There he was staring out the window.

Fuck you Jacob-conscience.

The voice snickered. _Remember what Edward told you? About Alice's visions? She's probably already looking for you. You said you weren't going anywhere, remember?_

Dammit! I had completely forgotten. Alice probably was looking for me. And if she found me, it would definitely try to stop what I was about to do. I guess it was now or never.

_That's my girl. Walk up to that house._

If nothing else, Jacob's voice was at least encouraging.

Somehow, I managed to put one foot in front of the other. Somehow, I walked up the few stairs without tripping, which is a feat for me even when every bone in my body isn't screaming run. Somehow, I pulled the door open, walked in, and said "Hey Billy, is Jake here?" Before I could bolt.

He turned his chair toward me and said, smiling, "Sorry Bella, he's out for a run. But he's due back in about an hour. I thought you weren't supposed to be here until tomorrow."

I gave him what I'm sure was a very tight smile. "Plans change. I'll just watch TV or something until he gets back."

"Be my guest. I'll be in the kitchen." He wheeled away from me.

It was at that point I realised I hadn't been breathing, and let my breath out and took a long deep one in, feeling more than a little light headed.

Alright, I did it. I got in the house. Too bad that was the easy part.

I had thought that the car ride was the worst agony that I've ever experienced. Unfortunately, that was nothing compared to sitting on Jacob's couch, waiting for him to come home. I tried flipping through the TV, but the shows swam before my eyes. I picked through the sparse collection of magazines they had, but they were all car or fishing related and could barely hold my attention on the best of days. My waiting activities returned to excessive foot tapping and finger twisting.

Why was this so hard? I had always been at ease with Jake before, but now it felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest. I made the decision, didn't I? Why wasn't it making me feel better like it usually did?

_It's alright Bella-dear. You're just terrified that we're going to say no, and what that means. Sure, making the decision is usually what calms you down, but this __**is**__ the most important decision of your life, and, unfortunately, it's not all up to you._

He was right, even though that annoyed me. I couldn't feel at ease with this decision because I wasn't the only one who got to make it. I wanted to be here, to give them a fair chance, and to give myself a chance to live, but unless they said yes, I was stuck back at square one. What if I became a zombie again? I thought my life was over the first time, but for this time my life ending is a definite in two out of three options. What would facing that turn me into?

I stopped twisting my fingers after I was sure that I broke one for a few minutes, and took to pacing. Again I tried to figure out what it is exactly that I was going to say, but again and again the words died in my throat. I was walking around in a small circle, staring at the ceiling and tapping my bottom lip with my index finger when I heard the door open.

"Bella?"

My gaze shifted down towards him as my arm dropped to my side. My heart stopped beating up in my throat. In fact, it down right stopped beating.

He _would_ have to be shirtless.

"Bella, are you ok?"

I shook my head lightly. I had originally meant the action to clear my thoughts, but it turned into my answer.

He came over a put his hands on my shoulders. "Bella, what's wrong? Was it the leech? Did he do something to you."

"N-no… well, yes, but… not really." This was agony. This. Was. Agony. Last night was bad but this is the most agonising thing I've been went through. Why can't I just spit the words out?

Jacob's hands shook violently on my shoulders and his eyes darkened. "What did he do you to Bella?" He said each word carefully, like he could break them.

Way to go. Come here to tell him you need his help and the first thing you do is almost cause him to phase. Was I going to have to go through this with the rest of the pack too?

The rest of them… Oh God, I can't do this twice! It's hard enough the first time.

"I –I need to talk to the entire pack Jake. Can you, um, get them for me? All of them?"

That took a little of the tension of my chest and I looked up at him hopefully. He removed his hands from my shoulders and ran one through his hair, his brow still furrowed. "I'll get them. Just don't go anywhere, they'll be here." He ran out the door, almost unhinging it. I was left to wait… again.

Oh, _joy.

* * *

_

Several dozen eternities later, Jacob's living room was crowded with 6 giant Quileute… well I guess you had to call them men, and me in the middle. Sam looked at me with worried, soulful eyes. I gulped. This wasn't going to be easy.

_You can do it. Just start talking. You decided on the talking, remember?_

I straightened my shoulders. I did decide on the talking. That's all I could decide on. Well, here it goes.

"You had something to tell us Bella?" Sam started. I silently thanked him.

"Um, yeah. Yeah I did, er, do." I gave a great sigh. "I don't know how to put this, so I'm just going to say that, and I need to you to try and keep your… tempers." My eyes wandered over to Paul, but Sam had guessed my meaning and put an arm around him.

"We'll be fine Bella. You just say what you need to."

I nodded. "Edward… he's… I mean…" I bit my lip in exasperation.

"The Cullens are going to break the treaty." After a beat, I swear you could hear the couch vibrate ever so slightly. Sam's eyebrows shot up.

"What? Why?"

"Because… because they're going to change me." I squelched my eyes shut and waited for the room to explode before my eyes. I only got some low growling. I opened my eyes to see Sam's hand on Jake's chest, trying to stop him from levitating from anger.

"They can't! They know the terms," he barked from between clenched teeth. Sam patted him.

"Jake, get a grip, you're making Paul look good." Sam took his hand off Jake's chest and rubbed his eyebrows. "He's right Bella, they know the terms. They can't bite you, or they're no longer welcome here."

I nodded. "I know… Originally I wanted it. I didn't really think it through, it just… sounded so good. Not having to grow up or die. But I don't want it anymore."

Sam's face turned into a mask of resolve. "Then we won't let them. You have our word. Even if we have to double patrols."

The room erupted in agreement. Even Paul added a "We won't let the leeches touch you Bella!"

I shook my head. "It's not them you have to worry about. I don't think Carlisle would allow any of them to change me if I didn't want it."

"Are there more leeches after you besides the redhead, Bella?" Sam's face darkened.

"Kind of."

Jake snorted. "Kind of?"

I nodded. "You know when I left to get Edward?" He nodded, pain in his eyes. I had hurt him when I did that.

"Yeah, I remember that parasite overreacting to his own stupidity."

"And you remember the Volturi?" They all nodded. Heh, I had almost forgotten about the mind reading thing. Crap, I wouldn't have had to do this twice. Too late now…

"Well, I kind of left one part out…."

"What part is that Bella?" He was speaking as if the words were made of glass again.

"The part where they were going to kill me unless Edward promised to turn me." I screwed my face up again, and this time was rewarded with a thunderous **"WHAT?"**

"Cool it Jake," I could hear Embry say.

"Not here Jacob." Sam had his hands on him again, and turned towards me. "Go on Bella, we need to hear it all."

"The Volturi don't want humans to know about vampires. They only let their human guards know, and they either change them or kill them when they… don't have any use for them anymore. They didn't like me knowing, so they gave me two choices. Either I had to be killed, or had to become a vampire." I cleared my throat. "At first, I was excited. Edward wouldn't change me before, and now he had to, but since then…. Since then I realised I don't want either of those things. I don't want to be a vampire."

"We've already said we won't let them," said Sam.

"No, you don't get it. The Volturi said they were coming to check, and if I wasn't a vampire, they'd… rectify the situation."

"Then we'll deal with them!" Jake growled.

"Jake, these are the rulers of the vampire world! They aren't your average vampires. I already know you'd help me, but I can let you without knowing what you're getting into! There's five of them, plus their human and vampire guards. That's a lot of people you don't need causing you trouble."

Jake had calmed down slightly. "It doesn't matter Bella, if you don't want it, we won't stand for it, right Sam?"

I looked at Sam expectantly. I waited, waited for him to shake his head, waited for him to say no and crush my last hope. He was due to turn me any second now, and I couldn't blame him. He didn't need me putting his pack in danger. Neither did any of the guys, nor did Emily need any extra worry on her shoulders. Another dozen eternities passed before Sam opened his mouth, and I prepared for the words that would seal my fate.

"We protect our own Bella."

I nodded. "I know… I'm sorry I asked. I don't deserve your help, not after I abandoned you guys for something it turned out I didn't even want. I promise, I'll make sure you aren't bothered about this." I could feel the tears hot in my eyes as I turned for the door, prepared to bolt.

But before I could run, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned back to see Sam's black eyes staring back at me.

"Bella, you're included in that. We aren't going to let anything happen to you. It hurt when you stopped seeing us because the parasite came back, but if you truly don't want to be one of them, I'm not going to let them do that to you, especially not on my land. You helped us with your information on the red head, and you know about these Volturi too. And you mean a lot to us. All of us. We won't stand for this Bella, you can count on us."

The tears ran down my cheeks as the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders. "Thank you Sam. You have no idea how much this means to me." I reached up to be accepted into his huge bear hug. Surprisingly, unlike Jacob, he had the ability to not crunch your spine up in his hugs.

I got hugs of various strengths from each of them until it came down to Jake, who picked me up and twirled me in the air. "I knew you'd come to your senses Bells!" I found myself laughing with him, giddy with the fact that I was going to live. I was really going to live.

* * *

After the guys all cleared out, and Paul and Quil returned to their patrols, and Sam went to tell Emily and make plans, I went for a walk with Jake. It was around noon, and a surprisingly sunny day for Forks, though you could barely see the blue sky through the many masses of clouds. We headed down to the beach, not really saying anything. I was so glad that was over and I could be comfortable again. It was easy to be that way with Jake, he just radiated it. I was still unsure about all of this, but the knowledge that I wouldn't have to constantly feel inferior was a great release to me.

Jake finally looked up at me. "Bella, your truck wasn't there."

"I got a ride with Charlie. I–" Well, there was no sense in not telling him, or protecting them. "I was afraid that Alice would come an stop me."

Jake wrinkled his nose. "Why would she stop you?"

"Edward was having her babysit me while he was gone hunting so that I couldn't come see you."

He clenched his fists. "What the fuck?"

I rolled my eyes. "He thinks it's too dangerous for me to be around werewolves."

"Did he forget his family are leeches?"

"Vampires," I corrected automatically. "And yeah, I know."

"That _fucking bastard!"_

"My words exactly."

"How could you stand that?"

"I couldn't, that's why I'm here now."

He kicked at the sand. "For what it's worth, I'd let you see whoever you wanted. Even the leeches. Well, not the _him_, and not any of them now really, now that I know what they want to do to you, but, you know, before."

I looked up at him shocked. "Really?"

"It's not like I could stop you anyways. You snuck out to see me, you'd sneak out to see them. I figure you'd be less mad at me if I let you go in the first place. I'm not going to lie, I don't like them, and don't want you to see them, but I'm not sicking my sister on you to ensure that you don't. That's just pathetic."

"I bet you wouldn't mess up my engine either."

His eyes looked murderous for a second before he said, "I'll take a look at it for you."

"Thanks."

We continued walking, the silence being comfortable, not awkward. That was my Jacob. My personal sun, heater, and pillow. I knew how much less my life would be without him in it. He didn't fill the hole Edward left, but he applied gauze and stitched it up. He put his arm around me and laid a kiss on my head. It felt… good, I'll admit. But I couldn't. Not now.

"Jake, you know this doesn't mean I'm chosing you, right?

He tensed up a bit, and I sighed. "I'm not ready yet. It took me months to realise that I didn't really want Edward. I'm not saying never, I'm just saying I need time."

His eyes fixed on his shoes. "Yeah, I know. Still broken."

"No Jake. I'm positively fixed." I smiled up at him. "You helped with that, you know. But I want some time alone to test the repairs before I go barrelling down the highway."

He laughed. "A car joke, really?"

"I guess. Does this mean we can still be friends? Even if, you know, that doesn't work out for us?"

He smiled back. "That's good enough for me I guess."

We walked down the beach hand in hand. I began to forget the last two days I had and just focus on the sun peaking through the clouds and the wind coming up off the water.

I guess it was enough for me too.

A/N: I'm still thinking on whether to make this a one shot or to continue. So drop me a review and tell me what you think!


	2. Controlled Burn

A/N: Wow, 7 yeses in one day. I would also like to add that I've never seen that many CONTINUEs one after another. ^_^; Well, I guess it's a case of ask and ye shall receive.

Also, quick question – does everyone like the long chapters? I noticed that most stories have considerably shorter chapters, so I decided to try something different (The first chapter was originally 3 or 4 chapters, lol). The difference being that once school hits a crunch, I won't be able to update as often, especially since I usually like to dick around until 4 am and then write. However, here's a nice huge one. (26 pages!)

I changed the title after I decided to continue this, as it only applied to that chapter. Also, all the breaks between sections I put in never show up. I'm going to leave it the way it is for until I decide what to do.

Still rated T, which might go up, slightly less subtle BxJ.

Well then, without further ado:

All Bella POV

I woke up next to an oven. Heat seeped into me from my right. I reluctantly opened my eyes to pale blue clouds and breathed in salty air. In my sleepy haze, I couldn't quite remember how I got here, but I never wanted to leave. I could quite contentedly stay here under this warm salty sky forever.

"Good nap?"

I was startled out of my haze when the oven next to me talked. I looked over to see Jake propped up on an elbow next to me. Ah. That's where I was. Lying on a jacket on First Beach, next to Jacob Black. I'm sure the why would come in a moment.

"Yeah," I mumbled, rubbing my eyes. "What time is it?"

"Around three I guess. You went right out when we decided to sit down. I would have woken you earlier, but I thought you could use the sleep. You looked exhausted."

I had felt exhausted. I remember that much. I must have had a horrible night.

_"Alice I have to leave because I'm about to offend you…"_

_ "Call it an inner monologue…"_

_ "The Cullens are going to break the treaty…"_

_**"WHAT?"**_

Last night and this morning came flooding back to me. I rubbed my eyes again more vigorously.

"Holy crow, I can't believe I did all that!"

Jake chuckled beside me. "You did it all the same."

I sat up slowly. "Sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night."

Jake sat up and leaned his arms against his knees. "It's alright. I've fallen asleep on you before."

"Three o'clock huh?" I stretched. I just had a three hour nap and Jake had apparently sat here for all of it. "So… Lunch then?"

He smirked at me. "I could eat. But if you're still tired I can take you back home."

Home. No, I wasn't going home yet. Not when Alice was surely looking for me. "No, I'm good. The beach is surprisingly comfy." He got up and helped me. I stretch backwards, falling down again in the process. Jake looked down at me, near laughter. "Maybe it's too comfy." I put a hand down to get back up and felt the amazingly warm spot Jake had left. I took a handful of sand with me, rubbing it through my fingers and letting it streams through. "Sometimes it still surprises me how hot you are."

"What can I say? I'm very attractive." I threw the last bit of sand at the shit eating grin plastered on his face, rolling my eyes, and walked away. He spluttered for a second and followed me.

"Ass."

"You're the one who threw sand at me."

"You're still the ass."

He laughed and reached for my hand again. I let him take it.

"My being an ass aside, I'm really glad you came here today, Bella."

"I'm glad too, even though it involved torturing myself for hours." He gave me an odd look. "I was so sure you'd say no."

"Why on earth would I ever say no?"

"Because I'm asking you to face the vampire Marines?"

He laughed. "Bella, it doesn't matter. You're my best friend. I wouldn't let them take you so long as I have a breath in my body."

I couldn't join in his jovialness. I was terrified that the Volturi would take the breath out of his body. Out of all their bodies. "I know that Jake, but the others. This is gonna make more guys phase, and might even get one or more of you killed. That's a lot to ask of Sam."

He nodded. "It is. But he's willing. You impressed him before. You're family to all of us now, and we would never let family get hurt. We told you as much before, Bella. You never have to worry about us not being there."

"I guess. It might take hearing that a few more times until I believe it though. You guys might be the most decent people in the world."

"I thought that was _Edward_." He sing-songed Edward. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would. "Right up there with being the most loving, most unselfish, and most brilliant." He snorted.

"I'm really dumb sometimes."

"I'll say." He looked down at me, his eyes flicking over me. "He really did a number on you, didn't he?"

I narrowed my eyes. "What do you mean, Jake?"

"I mean you supposedly forgave him, but you're still stuck on thinking you're unworthy, which is bullshit and has to stem from that walking corpse leaving you."

I grimaced. "I guess you have a point… even if you have to put it in such disgusting terms." I did _not_ like thinking about Edward in terms of walking corpses.

"Well, I have to knock the sense back into you somehow."

I chuckled. "All right, all right. Can we talk about something else right now? I've done enough deep introspection for one weekend."

"Alright, what do you want to do then?"

"I…. I don't actually know…" What does someone do when you've just been acquitted of the death penalty?

"First things first, lunch. You fine with heading to Emily's?"

"Sure, let's go." I was more than fine with going to Emily's. I needed to surround myself with the pack. And this time, it wasn't to replace people I was missing. It was because they were so full of life, and what better to surround yourself with when you've just escaped death?

* * *

We got into the Rabbit and headed out. Jake talked about the final touches he added to the car, and surprisingly enough I was able to keep up, at least for most of it.

"So you're finally done then?"

"For now. Besides, I won't have time to work on the Rabbit right now, with school, patrols, and helping out the two new guys."

"Two new guys?"

"Yeah, two more phased."

"What? When? When I was asleep?"

He looked at me goofy. "No."

"Then why didn't they come this morning?"

"You sounded like you were in serious trouble. I didn't want to shock you."

I rolled my eyes. "What's two more giant teenage boys in your living room?"

"Nothing much, considering one of them is a girl?"

My eyes nearly fell out of my head. **"Whaaat?"**

He chuckled. "Exactly."

"Jake, I thought that didn't happen."

"So did we."

"Shocked everyone, did it?"

He turned a corner, meaning that we would be at Emily's in a minute or two. "No one more than their father. Poor Harry."

"Harry Clearwater?"

"Yeah. He had the heart attack when not one but two of his children started running a fever."

I frowned. "They must feel horrible. Poor Seth and Leah…. Wait a minute, _Seth and Leah?!"_

"Yep." He turned into the driveway and parked the car.

"Oh God Leah. So she knows now why Sam…?"

"Yeah, we explained it all to her. Can't say it's been easy hearing her opinions on it though."

I couldn't say I envied being a werewolf right now. "That must be hard, hearing your ex's thoughts. I'm so glad Edward can't hear mine… How's everyone taking it?"

"Oh, Seth's thrilled. Leah's… well Leah's glad to be getting some answers. Actually got into a bit of a scrap with Sam when she found out he's the one who hurt Emily. But we're all trying to cope with the new dynamic. We're going to have to work at the whole getting along bit all over again. I have to say, I hope she imprints, or at least finds someone. I know it sounds like the easy way out, but it would be better for everyone, especially her."

I nodded as I got out of the car. "I hope it all works out for you guys."

"We won't let it interfere with keeping you safe, I promise," he said, looking at me seriously.

"I wouldn't even question. I have too much to be thankful for already."

We headed inside to see Paul and Quil eating at the table, Emily stirring a big pot of what smelled like chilli and Sam talking on the phone. Emily smiled as she turned to see us.

"Come and get it Jake, you'll have to be going out in a few hours. Great to see you again Bella."

I smiled and nodded at her, and waved to Sam. He waved back as he continued talking. "Let me thank you again for helping, from what she's telling us, we're going to need it. So when can we expect you… a week? Great, that's great. We'll have as much ready as possible. I can't thank you enough." He continued in what must have been Quileute because I couldn't understand it, and then hung up, looking extremely pleased with himself.

"Hey Bella, Jake." He walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bowl, kissing Emily on his way to the table. I took a bowl from Emily and sat down with everyone.

"So what was that about Sam?" asked Paul between mouthfuls.

"Yeah," said Quil. "What's so important that that you're sucking up in Quileute?" He received a sharp tap on the head for that.

"Be respectful, that was our help."

"Help?" Jake asked, digging into his chilli.

"Yes help." He hesitated. "It's kind of hard to explain. I never let you guys know before because I didn't want you getting over excited."

Quil grinned. "Paul? Get over excited? _Never."_ The sharp tap came from Paul this time.

Sam glared at them. "Stop guys, unless you don't actually want an explanation." Paul and Quil straightened up in their chairs.

"I guess it's good you got here when you did Bella, because this pertains to you. These Volturi, they're the head leeches, right?" I nodded in agreement with Sam.

"Well, since they're such big guns, I thought, 'Why don't we get some big guns of our own?'"

"Sounds good to me," said Jake. "But what are these big guns exactly?"

"Other shapeshifters."

"Wait," I said. "I thought you had to be Quileute to be a werewolf."

Sam shook his head. "We're just one of many tribes and clans that can do it. In fact, we're just a tribe of one offshoot of shapeshifters."

Paul looked incredulous. "Really?"

Sam nodded. "We're one type of werewolf. There are others. Some are nearly the same as us, and some are different. For instance, there are actually werewolves that phase according to the moon, but they're European."

And I thought I had heard everything that could shock me. "You mean, it's not just Native American tribes that can do it?"

"Nope. And it's not just wolves. We turn into wolves because that's who we're connected to. But why would people of the Crow nation turn into wolves?" He smirked.

My eyes bugged out again. "Wait, so there's werecrows?"

Sam threw his head back and laughed. "No, well, not in this case. Crow's actually a misnomer. The word they used to call themselves actually means People of the Large Bird. It's more like weremagpies."

Quil's eyes turned glossy. "That is… so _cool!"_

Sam chuckled and rubbed Quil's head. "It's not just regular animals either. I don't know all about it, the elders know more than I do, they're the ones who have the stories of us coming into contact with other shapeshifters. What I do know is that the one thing we all have in common is that we're protectors. We don't all fight vampires, but we're all protecting someone from something."

I giggled. "So you're like the Justice League?"

Sam shook his head, laughing with me. "We don't have that sorry of universal morality. Some of them don't sound like people I'd want to be around. But we do help each other. We apparently always have, regionally. Then, when the New World was discovered, we realised that there were a lot more of us than we originally thought, though we're still just a flash in the pan compared to the general population. So we formed something called the Great Council, so we can get into contact with each other."

"And why didn't you tell us before?" said Jake getting another bowl.

"Like I said, I didn't want you getting excited. We're all different. In our case, we only have a pack when a threat presents itself. So we're only marginal members, because we generally aren't going to have a permanent representative."

"What do you mean generally?" I asked.

"Well, we could have one, but they would have to keep phasing. Jake told us about the Volturi being very old. Well, the Great Council is very old too. It was founded in the 14th century when the Old World met the New World. But some of the representatives are even older than that, so, since the Quileute don't traditionally stay phased, we don't usually have anyone that can qualify to be an elder. So we have to depend on the others that represent the People of the Wolf."

"People of the Wolf?" Paul asked.

"Changing into wolves is apparently pretty popular. We have our own faction, under another grouping of people that turn into animals. Animal shape shifters are the largest contingent. Anyways, I didn't tell you because we didn't even know for sure if they existed. If Bella hadn't come to us, we may never have had the need to contact them anyway."

The mysteries Forks holds would never cease to amaze me. "So they're sending you guys help?"

Sam got up and put his bowl in the sink. "Not exactly. The Council hasn't even convened to talk about it. But one of the high elders of the People of the Wolf is currently in Manitoba. She caught word of what was going on, found it interesting, and had the Council put her in contact with us. She'll be here by the end of the week."

"Wait, she? I thought Jake said Leah was the only female werewolf."

"That's another difference Bella. Only Quileute men phase, well, usually. There are some tribes out there where only the women phase, and some with both."

"So where is this person from?"

Sam paused for a moment. "You know, I don't actually know. I don't think anyone does. She's supposed to be really old. Anyways, she might not even be here long. She's probably only going to stay to find out what she can about the Volturi and then see what she can do about them. She might even go after them on their home turf if she can get support. That's kind of what she does, she's sort of a war general."

"So what's her name?"

"Ve."

"Like the letter?"

"I guess."

Jake smirked at me. "I told you we'd help you." I grinned back at him.

Sam picked an apple out of a bowl and took a bite. "I'm just glad that the Council actually exists. I think I'm the first Quileute to properly contact them in 3 centuries. All the elders knew was that they keep in contact with a bar outside Seattle, but for all we knew it could have shut down decades ago. And they only knew that because someone passing through 70 years ago rediscovered us and told the last pack that it was there. It was a long shot, by far. I was shocked when 411 was able to give me a phone number." He smiled at me. "But Jake's right Bella, we aren't going to let anything happen to you."

He turned back to Jake. "You should probably get Bella home Jake, you're coming out with me in two hours."

My heart sunk. I was nowhere near ready to go home yet. Not when I knew what would be waiting for me. "Um… does he have to?"

Sam laughed. "Well we can't exactly take you with us Bella, and he's going to be gone for a while."

"I know, it's just… Alice has to know I'm here, and I don't quite know if I'm ready to face her yet."

Jake reached across the table and grasped my hand. "You have to face them sometime Bells. But there's not way in hell you'll do it alone, I promise."

I gave him a faint squeeze. "Can't it wait til Monday? I mean, I'm supposed to be at that football get-together thing with you guys and the Clearwaters tomorrow anyway. I know it's putting it off, but can't I just have this one weekend in peace?" I really didn't want to have to use the puppy dog eyes, but I was going to if I had to. I needed the time to prepare myself for what was going to happen."

Jake smirked. "As much as your dad likes me, I highly doubt that he's going to let you stay here at my place."

I rolled my eyes. "You'd be surprised. Can't you figure out something?"

"Well, we could try asking, I don't think it'll work though."

"She can stay here." We both turned to look at Emily.

"Really?"

"Sure, you can tell Charlie that you're helping me with the food for tomorrow. If you don't mind, it doesn't even have to be a lie."

"Emily, of course I'll help, I can't thank you enough. I can't thank all of you enough."

Emily smiled. "It's no problem, Bella."

I washed my bowl after I had finished and put it on the drain rack. Grabbing the phone, I dialled home to see if Charlie was back yet.

"Hello?"

"Hey Dad, its Bella."

"Hey, you still at Jacob's?"

"No, we went to see Emily. Uh, Dad, I was wondering if I could stay the night. At Emily's I mean. She needs some help with food for tomorrow."

"Sure Bella, you might want to come here to get clothes though. Oh, and Alice called. She called a couple times actually. Sounds like she really wants to talk to you."

Damn. I couldn't pretend no one knew anymore. Even if Alice didn't figure it out before, Charlie would have told her where I was. And she would have called Edward. "Alright, thanks Dad. See you in a bit."

"I'm actually heading to the store in a few minutes, so I'll probably miss you. See you tomorrow Bella."

"Bye, Dad."

I hung up the phone with a grimace. "I can stay… but I have to go back to get clothes."

"We can get them on our run if you want."

I considered it. But I really didn't like the idea of Jake or Sam digging through my underwear drawer.

"No, I'll do it."

"I'll drive you at least," Jake said grabbing his keys. Reluctantly, I headed out the door with him.

"I'll come with," said Sam. Suddenly I was sandwiched between two very large, very scary looking men.

"Uh, guys… why do I feel like I'm being guarded?"

"Probably because you are," Jake said not looking back.

"We meant what we said, and you seem to be keen on not talking to _them_ until Monday. Jake and I are going to ensure that happens. But I'll stay here if that's what you want."

"No, Sam, it's fine, I just didn't realise how gung ho you'd all be about this."

"What about us?" Quil called from the table.

Sam stopped and thought for a moment. "We don't know if the female has recalled the others. Better safe than sorry. You too Paul."

Holy crow… Sam just called out the army. For me. If I didn't know why I felt so safe around the pack before, I do now. It was good feeling to know they cared about what I want enough to be so cautious, yet they were reasonable enough to stay home if I didn't want them to come. My day had definitely just gotten much better.

* * *

So there I was, sitting in the middle back seat, surrounded, and more than a little squished, by Quil and Paul. I'm surprised the Rabbit fit them all, but now that they were in, it felt like we were travelling in an armoured tank. Well, a tank armoured by shirtless werewolves.

"Why do you all have to be shirtless?" I mumbled to myself.

Quil chuckled. "Clothes are expensive Bella. This why, if we have to phase we only ruin pants."

"I really didn't need to know that you weren't wearing underwear." The backseat roared in laughter.

"Enough you guys," Sam said seriously from the front. "We need to discuss our extraction plan."

Had I stepped into a spy movie? "Extraction plan?"

Sam nodded. "We want this to take as little time as possible. An in-out operation." Wow, I thought, the cavalry has fucking _arrived. _"We know the basic layout of your house from Jake, Bella, now we need a list of what you need so we can split up and gather it as efficiently as possible. Divide and conquer." He pounded one fist against his open palm.

"Isn't that over reacting a little?"

Sam shook his head. "It's good practice in case we ever have to do something like this when we're really in danger. Besides, if you're going to be a part of this family, you have to know how we work."

Well I guess it made sense, when he put it like that. I thought for a moment, surprised at how quickly Sam got into 'General Mode.'

"Uhh… My bag is by the closet in the hall and my purse should be in the kitchen on the table. I can fit the rest of everything into my bag."

Sam nodded. "Quil, bag."

Quill nodded in answer. "On it."

Holy shit, this was kind of cool. It's like I'm in Mission Impossible or something. "Ok, under the sink in the bathroom there's a plastic carrying case, where you can put my shampoo and toothbrush. It's the purple one with the soap carrier and stuff in it. My tooth brush is the red one and my soap, shampoo and conditioner are, well, the girly ones. Everything should fit inside that."

Sam nodded again. "Paul, toiletries."

"On it."

"Next, Bella."

"Umm… Ok, there's a hamper at the end of the bed with clean clothes in it. There should be a few pairs of jersey pants and t-shirts in there, I can use that to sleep in."

"Jacob, hamper."

"On it."

I had to think for a moment.

"Most of my clothes are in the closet. Just grab a pair of jeans and a shirt, it doesn't really matter which one."

Sam nodded yet again. "I'll get that. What will you be doing?"

I blushed. "I'll, um, err… I'll be grabbing the unmentionables."

Sam, utterly unfazed, nodded. "Bella, unmentionables. Right guys, this is no time to hang around and snicker at Bella's girly stuff." I paled. Damn werewolves and their damned practicality. "No talking, no looking at each other, just go in and do your assigned tasks. We reconvene in Bella's bedroom and then head out again. Quil, when you get up there, hold the bag open and everyone hands what they have to Bella in turn so she can pack it and zip it. And since you're already holding the bag Quil, after we load it up, you put it in the back before you get in."

"Right."

"All in all this should take five minutes or less. Bella, give me your keys so I can unlock the door." I passed them up front to him.

We didn't really talk again until we reached my house. The car lurched as Jake backed it into the driveway without so much as slowing down. And I thought I had at least escaped the unreasonable driving. As the car came to a halt, we all undid our seat belts and Sam spoke.

"Does everyone understand what they're doing?" A "Yes" was spoken in unison. "Is everyone ready?" We agreed again. "Right. Go!"

Four car doors swung open in unison, and all four guys got out. After Paul was on his feet, he reached in and helped me out. I ended up in the middle again, with two guys side by side both in front of and behind me. They walked up to the house in step, and I admired how the pack could work as a cohesive unit when they weren't phased. It really was like they were in the army. I, of course, tripped going up the stairs, but Quil immediately shot at arm out to catch me. Sam opened the door and we walked briskly inside. On cue, Quil broke off and headed to find my bag and purse. After the rest of us were upstairs, Paul made a beeline for the bathroom and Sam, Jake and I headed into my room. I walked over to my dresser and went about getting a bra, underwear and socks. Looking up I watched Sam methodically strip two articles of clothing off their hangers and fold them amazingly neat, especially given the speed at which he was doing it in. Jake was a little more haphazard in digging through the hamper, but pulled out what he was looking for in no time, and all in all my room was left much the same way we found it. I heard Paul fiddling with the cabinets in the bathroom. I finished my task and shut the drawers just as I heard footsteps bounding up the stairs. I turned around to see Quil walk in the room with my purse dangling from his left wrist and he held my bag open with both hands. I filled it, taking clothes from Sam and Jake, and the case from Paul when he returned. After Quil zipped the bag up, we 'formed rank' again, leaving me in the middle, and headed out the house. I quickly grabbed a second jacket off my door handle as we passed, for just in case. As we got outside, we all got in the Rabbit and Quil put the bag in the back.

"Wow, that only took like sixty seconds," I said buckling my seat belt.

"Even fast plans can be good ones," said Sam.

I was actually kind of disappointed. I know Alice would probably never do such a thing, but I almost hoped that she and some of the other Cullens burst in there and there would have to be a fight. I didn't really want my friends going killing each other, but after spending the last 20 minutes feeling like I was in an action movie, it was kind of disappointing to not have an action scene.

Actionless or not, it was a relief to get that over with. I sighed as Jake turned out of the driveway, and instinctively looked over my shoulder. There, down the road, as if I had wished it into being, was a yellow car. There was no way to tell the model from this distance, but it's not like there were a plethora of yellow cars in Forks, so I was sure it was Alice. Then, as if to punctuate my point, I watched the windshield erupt with sparkling brilliance as the car passed through a sun spot, signalling just who was inside it.

"Uh, Sam, Alice is behind us."

Sam grabbed the rear-view mirror and twisted it so he could see behind us. "She sure is." He said squinting. "And she has a passenger. Good thing we brought the back up. Gun it, Jake."

Jake stomped on the gas as he craned his neck to look out the side view mirror. He did a double take and cursed. "Sam, there's no fucking way I can out run a Porsche in this!"

I could feel Paul begin to vibrate beside me. I put a hand on his forearm. "Not in here, ok? I don't want to go out in a shower of car parts. Open the door and tuck and roll if you have to."

He looked down me incredulously for a moment, then, amazingly chuckled and patted my hand. "Thanks, I needed that."

Sam was still in 'General Mode' up front. "We don't have to out run them, we just have to make it to the treaty line, and I doubt they're going to run us off the road, at least not if they realise Bella's in here. Gun it all the same, the sooner we reach the line, the better." Jake nodded and kept driving. The car sped off in a screech.

Turning around I saw that Alice had started after us, and was gaining on us in record time. I felt like a bit of coward, running away from them. I could ask them to stop so we could talk, but something inside wouldn't let me.

_It's ok Bella. Baby steps. You can't be expected to face your fears all at once._

I shook my head in confusion to figure out which Jacob was talking. Why was I still hearing his voice in my head when I was with him? Edward's stopped when I got him back.

_I guess I haven't served my purpose yet. Oh look, they're right behind us._

Sure enough they were. "Sam, they're on our tail."

"I see them Bella, there isn't much we can do. We still have about a mile before the treaty line."

Alice's Porsche came beside the Rabbit and met our speed. She swerved and gave us what I guess could be called a 'love tap,' though it still caused the car to jerk.

"That BITCH! I just fixed the fucking paintjob!" Jake growled as he grabbed the wheel trying to regain control. We swerved onto the side of the road, spraying gravel before Jake got us back on course.

"What the hell is she doing?!" I screamed panicking.

Sam gritted his teeth. "Hopefully just trying to get our attention. Paul, if you have to, tucking and rolling wouldn't be a bad idea, especially if it involves jumping on their car." Paul nodded, cracking his knuckles.

Jake rolled down the window. "What the fuck are you doing leech?!" He yelled at the Porsche.

Their passenger side window rolled down to reveal Rosalie. "Why were you at Bella's house, mutt, and why are you headed out so fast?!"

"None of your fucking business!"

I could hear Alice's laughter from the other seat, and then watched in horror as she and Rosalie traded places. Although it happened fast, I couldn't believe they didn't lose control.

"We'll run you off the road before you reach the line, Jacob! Don't do anything stupid!" Rosalie tapped our car again for effect, this time a little more viciously.

Jacob cursed again and gripped the wheel, stopping the car from skidding too far onto the gravel. He sneered back at Alice. "You're the one doing something stupid, bitch! Bella's in the back seat, you dead moron, and if she gets hurt, I'm going to be using your spine as a chew toy!"

Alice's eyes widened. "What?!"

"You heard me, parasite! Bella! Is in! This car! The one you're trying to run off the road!"

"Pull over and let her go!"

"Fuck no!"

She paused for a beat. "You realise you're breaking the treaty, right?!"

"You're the one ramming our car, bloodsucker!"

"You're kidnapping my brother's girlfriend!"

This was stupid. My two best friends were screaming threats at each other out of the windows of two cars barrelling down a back road at a hundred miles an hour. I had to stop this death trap, even if that meant talking to Alice.

Jacob and Alice continued screaming at each other as I turned to Quil. "Roll down the window and hold me, I have to try and make her stop this!" I shouted over the wind.

He looked incredulously at me. "Are you sure about that?!"

"Yes!"

"Oka-ay!" Quil rolled the window down and grabbed me by the waist so I wouldn't fall as I leaned out the window.

_I don't think I need to tell you that you could seriously get hurt, _my Jacob-conscience told me. _But just be careful. No sense in killing yourself to calm her down._

With that in mind, I screamed, "Alice, stop!"

She looked back surprised. "Bella! What the hell are you doing?"

"Trying to stop you from doing something ridiculous!"

"Bella, you are in a speeding junker with 4 young werewolves! I'm not the one doing something ridiculous!"

"Hey, don't fucking talk about my car you bitch!"

Leave it to Jake to fixate on the car. "Jake, not helping! Alice, just stop they aren't kidnapping me! We just thought you'd try and stop us!"

"Bella, this is extremely foolish, what the hell are you doing?!"

"I'm staying the weekend in La Push!"

"Edward is going to be furious when I tell him!"

Edward was going to be furious? Edward was the one who deemed that I should have a babysitter, causing this whole thing. I couldn't care less if Edward was furious at this point.

"Let him be furious then!"

She gaped at me, wide-eyed. "Bella?! Do you even know what you're saying?!"

The wind whipped by my eyes, helping them to tear up even without the river of emotions running through me. Yes, Alice. I do know what I'm saying. And though it hurts, I have to say it.

"I'm saying I'm going with them!"

**"BELLA!"**

I pulled back into the car. I could see this was going nowhere. Quil gave me a smile "Well at least you tried!"

I didn't feel like I had accomplished anything.

Suddenly Sam stopped gripping the dashboard. "This is it! We just passed the treaty line!"

Jake craned his head out the window again. "Better stop the fucking car leech! You're on Quileute land!"

Alice shook her head. "You stop the car and let Bella out!"

"Are you deaf?! She wants to stay with us!"

"She doesn't understand how dangerous you are!"

Jake laughed out the window. "Are you shitting me?! You fucking eat people leech, and you're currently trying to kill us, you have no place telling me I'm dangerous!"

Alice gritted her teeth. "You're still not going to be able to out run us! She's Edward's girlfriend! You can't just take her!"

Jake shot her the finger and rolled the window up. "She ain't giving up, Sam."

He grimaced. "Paul?"

"Yeah?"

"Get ready to roll out the door. Just jump on the windshield and make sure they can't see."

Paul nodded, undid his seat belt and gripped the door handle.

"Ready! G-WAIT!!"

All five of us watched as a grey blur erupted from the woods and landed on the front of the Porsche, only to be followed by a sandy blur that landed on the back. Both blurs turned out to be giant wolves, though both were small in comparison to Jake or Paul. As they landed on the car, it fell behind us. Quil cheered and hollered beside me. Jake chuckled. "Go Seth and Leah."

"That's Seth and Leah?"

Sam nodded. "Paul, keep an eye out in case they need help." Paul didn't let go of the handle.

I turned and watched as Rosalie struggled to maintain control as Seth and Leah clawed at the top of the car. The Porsche fishtailed and Alice was stuck out the window trying to pry the grey one off the windshield, but it wasn't moving. In the havoc the sandy wolf was thrown off the end as the car swerved from one side of the road to the other.

"PAUL! HELP THEM!" Paul wrenched the door open and jumped. I heard a shredding sound as he phased in mid air, turning into his dark silver wolf. As he landed, he used his momentum to leap backwards and land on the Porsche, biting at Alice's arm. I heard a scream and watched as the Porsche skidded to a stop. Jake swerved around so we faced them, about 100 feet away and stopped as well. My stomach churned and my eyes squeezed shut and the world whirled around us. The sandy wolf limped up and joined the other two, who were now pacing the group between us and them. Sam got out of the car and walked forward.

I jumped out the open door to follow him. "Sam, don't hurt them!"

He raised his left hand and waved me off. "I'm not going to do anything so long as they leave." He continued walking forward until he was in front of the three wolves.

"You're out of line, Cullen. Get the _fuck_ off my land!"

Alice and Rosalie got out of the car. Alice clutched her arm, but she didn't look too badly hurt. Of course, vampires didn't bleed. Still, I felt horrible. I didn't want her getting hurt over me, even if she was being a bit of a boob.

"Just let Bella come with us, that's all we want."

Sam shook his head. "Bella's here because she wants to be. I'm not letting you take her anywhere she doesn't want to go. Now, the line is about a mile and a half that way," he said pointing. "I suggest you _cross it, _before you start something you really don't want finished. You're outnumbered here Cullen, and you're already wounded."

"Bella, what are you doing?" Alice looked at me with hurt eyes. I walked up until I was just behind Paul. The look on her face killed me inside. I wanted to stop it. I wanted to go with her and make her happy, but I couldn't. Not this time. This time I had to walk away for me.

"I'm sorry Alice," I said, tears rolling down my cheeks. "I just don't want it anymore."

"Don't want what?"

"I don't want to be a vampire anymore. I don't want Edward anymore. I still love all of you and I hope we can be friends but I just can't live your life Alice! It isn't mine!"

The look in Alice's eyes broke my heart. "Bella… you're just confused and scared…. Come back we can talk it over."

I shook my head. "No Alice, I'm sorry."

"Bella, please, if you just–"

She was stopped by Rosalie. "Alice. Don't." Rosalie walked forward, approaching the wolves, who started growling and pacing. She reached Sam, whose fists were shaking. "Calm down wolf boy, I don't mean any harm." She looked him in the eye, and after a moment, walked passed him and towards me, stopping two feet in front of me.

"Did you mean that, about not wanting any of it anymore?"

I looked at her cautiously and then slowly nodded.

She closed the space between us and enclosed me in a hug. "Thank you. Thank God. I know you don't understand this now, and things are going to be strained for awhile, so I won't be able to explain it, but thank you for saying no." I looked at her eyes shocked. She smiled back at me. "It's like I told you when we voted. If I had any bit of a choice, I would have said no. But I didn't and you do. I know it may not mean as much to you, but thank you for saying no, if not for your sake, then for mine."

I wrapped my arms around Rosalie, shocked that it took this for us to bond. "Thanks for understanding Rose."

She let go and grinned at me. "Just don't forget that you're still Alice's best friend, or she may spend the rest of eternity moping. I'll try to explain this to everyone, but I don't think Edward's going to take it well. He's pretty determined not to lose you again."

I shook a little. As good as it was to know, it would be harder than ever to face Edward now. "Alright Rosalie. Is Alice ok?"

"She's fine. Just a few scratches, nothing that can't be fixed."

"As long as she's ok. I couldn't bear with her being hurt."

Rosalie nodded. "Now go. Run to them. Run to them and never regret it and never look back. I'd be right there with you if I could. I'll get Alice home if I have to drag her there, but I'm not going to let anyone stop you from doing… whatever it is with these wolf-boys that keeps you alive." She gripped my hands. "Alright?"

I nodded.

"Go."

She gave me a gentle push and I watched as she turned around and walked back, looking Sam in the eye as she crossed. As she reached Alice, she gathered her into the car, despite her protests, and then headed to the driver's side. She looked up at me just before she got in, waved, and shouted, "GO!"

Sam walked back to me and put an arm around me. "You know, for a bloodsucker, that one is pretty honourable."

I nodded. "More than I ever knew." I looked back to see Jake running his hand threw his hair, looking concerned.

Sam smiled at me. "I think you better follow her advice." He turned to the three wolves. "Go home guys, we'll meet you at Emily's." They ran off.

I smiled at him and took off, my feet pounding the pavement, my hair flying behind me. I didn't hold anything back as my knees and arms felt the full weight of my sprinting, beginning to ache after only a few steps. All I could hear in that moment was my panting and my feet hitting the ground. It might have been the most tiring run of my life, but it felt good because of that. It felt good and human to be tired, something Rosalie could never experience anymore, so I didn't take it for granted. I flew over the asphalt until I slammed into Jake's arms, hopping up him to kiss his cheek. While he was still shocked, I step passed him and did the same to Quil. Both boys put a hand to their faces and blushed.

"Um, yeah…" Quil said.

"What was that about?" said Jake staring at me.

I shrugged. "Just happy to be alive." I got back in the car and was ready to be brought home.

* * *

Sam got back into the car with us. "Paul's gonna have to run home with them. Let's go Jake." He nodded and started the car, angrily mumbling about how much work he would have to do to fix the Rabbit's scratched side.

I was exhilarated. Rosalie's approval meant the world to me. It was so good to know one of them supported my decision. I leaned forward in the car. "Hey, can we turn the radio on?"

Jake looked back at me. "Really?"

"Yeah, I could use some music."

"I think I have a CD in, some mixed thing Emily gave me."

"Whatever."

He pushed the button and I amazed myself by knowing the song and all the words, so I starting singing. Jake and Quil both chuckled.

"What," I said laughing. "I don't sound like a dying cat, do it?"

"No no, you sound fine," said Jake, "You're just happier than I think I've ever seen you before. You usually don't like music."

"Change of heart." No kidding there, I had a major change of heart. "Sing with me!"

"What? No."

"Come on, you too Quil." He shook his head.

"Sam?"

He rolled his eyes and said, "Trust me guys, once they start in on this, they aren't going to give up. Emily did give you the CD, remember?" He smiled at me then belted out. _"One stop to the rhythm that divides you, and I speak to you like the chorus to the verse, chop another line like a coda with a curse, and I come on like a freak show takes the stage!"_

I clapped and by the time we pulled in back into Emily's drive way I had them all singing.

_"I want something else, to get me through this semi-charmed kind of life, baby, baby!"_

Emily came out the door and laughed at the spectacle in front her. "I told you that you'd like it Jake."

"Shut up, Em, that never happened." He shut his door and walked up the stairs. I followed him.

"I sure did happen, Jake, I heard it all the way from here," Paul snickered from the living room. Jake picked up the remote and threw it at him, but he caught it.

As I walked in I saw Seth and Leah sitting beside him. Seth had his leg propped up on the coffee table, packed in ice. His eyes lit up when Jake and Sam walked in.

"Hey guys, did you see what I did?" Sam walked up and rubbed his shoulder.

"You did great kid. How's your leg?"

"It's fine Sam, I just twisted it. It should be good by tomorrow."

"Good good."

Seth turned to me. "You ok Bella?"

"I'm good Seth. You were pretty brave out there." He blushed, turning his russet skin a dark copper.

"Don't worry about her Seth, she was safe in a car. You're the one with the twisted leg." Leah glowered at me.

Sam's brow furrowed. "Leah, we already talked about this."

"Yeah, and I wasn't asked."

"Leah, this isn't a democracy."

She turned to me. "You know, I don't like you."

"LEAH!"

"What? It's nothing personal, I just don't like my brother getting hurt over some girl I barely even know."

"It doesn't–"

I cut Sam off. "No, it's ok." Turning to Leah I said. "I'm sorry Seth got hurt Leah, and I respect your honesty."

She looked at my incredulously and started to say something, only to stop. Finally, she narrowed her eyes and said, "I… I respect that you took that so well." She looked like she was going to say something else, but instead turned to Seth and said. "We should get home. Come on Seth." She then helped him get up and they walked out the door.

Jake leaned close to Quil and asked, "Did she just shock Leah into not complaining?"

Quil nodded. "Oh, we're so keeping her."

Emily came back from the kitchen. "Mission was a success, so I hear."

Sam nodded and enclosed her in a bear hug. "She all set." He pulled away from her. "Come on Jake, our turn."

Jake nodded. "See you later Bells."

"See you."

The two hulking men walked out the door.

Emily walked up to me. "You ok Bella? Leah didn't bother you, did she?"

I shook my head. "I'm fine Emily."

"Good." She laughed. "Because we have about 100 potatoes we have to wrap for the barbeque."

I rolled my eyes. 'Work me like a dog why don't you?"

She laughed as we both walked into the kitchen.

* * *

I had never seen so much food in my life, even in Emily's kitchen. We prepared enough potato salad, coleslaw, and nacho dip to feed a small country, nevermind anything else.

"I hope there's enough." She said, wiping her brow.

I looked at her as if she had suddenly grown a third eye.

She laughed. "We need this to last through seven people and four werewolves for a whole day. They have about 4 foot ball games to watch, nevermind if any of the other guys show up."

Ah, guys and sports. Nothing increases an appetite like screaming at a TV.

"We're going to have a bonfire at night too. I hope you don't have school too early on Monday."

"I'll manage."

"So… no more Vampire Girl, huh?"

I smiled sadly. "No. I guess not."

She put a hand on my shoulder. "It's ok to miss them you know."

"I know. I just know that it's never going to be the same."

"From the sound of things, it wasn't going to be the same anyways."

I nodded. "Is it alright not to be sure?" Which I wasn't. Not even after what Rosalie said. Edward still held a piece of my heart, however much I tried to forget it.

"Of course it is. If you were sure, I'd be worried. It doesn't sound like your relationship with Edward was anything small. That's a hard decision to make."

"Sort of like the decision you had to make?"

It was Emily's turn to smile sadly. "I think we have that in common. We both feel like we're betraying people." She went back to chopping carrots. "Maybe we are… But that still doesn't mean you should ignore your heart. Whatever we owe people, we should still be happy."

Her scars somehow seemed less noticeable at that moment. Emily was wise beyond her years, that was for sure. It still didn't make me any less sad though.

"Bad subject Bella?"

"Yeah, but I'm going to have to face it, aren't I?"

"Why don't we talk about something lighter then?" She talked about her plans for the house, the shopping she had to do for next week, and even her wedding plans. That subject she broached very lightly, which I appreciated. We finished up and I went and took a shower before bed. I found myself standing under hot water again, crying.

"Why is this so hard?"

_Because it means something. Everything that means something should hurt. It's why people cry when they're happy._

I still wish it didn't have to hurt so much.

_You're doing just fine Bells. You were amazingly strong today. I'm so proud of you._

Well, as long as the voices in my head are proud of me, the world can go to hell.

Jacob's voice chuckled softly and I turned off the water. After drying off and getting dressed, I headed back to the living room where Emily had pulled out the catch bed for me. Sam and Jake were back in the kitchen, eating.

"Hey Bella, how'd the cooking go."

"Good Jake, I think we made more than even you can eat."

He laughed, wiping his mouth with a napkin. I set my bag down by the couch and started to settle in. It had been an extremely long day, and I was ready to pass out.

Sam and Jake finished in the kitchen and headed out again. "I just wanted to say goodnight before you went to bed. See you tomorrow Bells." He leaned down and kissed my forehead, pulling the blanket up to my shoulders.

I laugh. "Jake, did you just tuck me in?"

He blushed. "You forget I'm forty." We both laughed. "I guess I'm just used to looking out for you now."

"No, it's ok, it was just kind of funny."

"Alright. I have to go patrol the woods for scary noises and the occasional twig."

"No sign of Victoria?"

"Not a hair for two days. She's up to something, I know it."

I shuddered. "Be careful Jake."

"Always."

And with that he headed out the door. I turned over and shut my eyes.

I opened them and I was under the hot sky again. I looked around to see an endless beach, salty air wafting off the water. The sky was pale blue and went on past forever. I looked around for the source of heat but it seemed to emanate from the air. The sand baked under my feet and warmed me through.

I looked down. Somehow I had gotten into a long cotton dress. It clung to me in the heat. I started walking, more wandering really. I went around aimlessly, walking into the sea until the warm, frothy water came to my thighs and soaked the bottom of my dress. The waves caressed my fingers. I walked along, close to the shore until I came to a log, dead and salty, just like the one I sat on with Jake that first day. I walked out of the water and curled up on the log, content to fall asleep in this warm paradise.

It was then that a blast of cold air blew past my face. My eyes shot open and I shivered. I looked in the direction that the air was coming to see _him_ standing there. He was perfect, dressed in black, making his topaz eyes and odd hair stand out even more. But he was cold, cold as ice, and his cold was flowing out from him, polluting my smothering beach.

"Bella…" His voice was almost a whisper as his hand reached out for me. I almost wanted to go to him, _almost,_ but I couldn't leave the warmth cocooning me. I shook my head, tears splashing on my cheeks.

**"BELLA!" **His voice turned into a terrifying snarl as his eyes went black. I put my hands on my cheeks, wiping my tears, still shaking my head. I looked down at the wetness at my hands. It was streaked red. Blood. I was crying blood.

Looking up his face had turned into a sneer and his eyes were red as my hands. With a growl he stalked towards me. I started backing up, stumbling as I went.

"No… please, don't do this…. Don't do this Edward." I kept stumbling backwards until I slammed into a wall. I looked back. Russet arms enveloped me and pushed the cold out, warming me thoroughly. In front of me Edward stopped pacing towards me, though he was still snarling.

_Jacob._

He was shirtless, his russet muscles shining in the sun, slick with sweat. His black silk hair flowed down his shoulders like it used to, and his face was stern but it wasn't Sam's mask. I leaned into him, glad to be warm again.

But he wasn't just warm. He was _too_ warm. His arms were raging fires burning at my face. I whimpered and struggled to get away, but his arms pulled me further into his inferno. He leaned down into my ear with a long _"Ssshhhhhhhh."_

"Oh Bella," he said, flames dancing off his tongue. "Everything that means something has to hurt."

I nodded and stopped struggling. Edward screamed and charged, but Jacob wrapped his arms all the way around me, and heat flared. I leaned my head back as Edward was repulsed by the heat. Jacob leaned further into me, until I was surrounded by his flames.

I breathed deep, and we were set afire. We burned and burned, as the flames licked up his arms and obscured my vision. The last I saw of Edward he had both arms covering his face and he was still screaming my name.

Then the fire consumed us. We burned and I screamed. My feet left the ground and our fire rose into the air. I screamed and screamed, but my lungs never gave out and Jacob never let go. We immolated and rose, and I smouldered and ached.

And it felt so _good._

A/N: The song they sing in the car is, of course, Semi Charmed Life, by Third Eye Blind. I know Meyer gives playlists for her books, and while I may not agree with them, I like the idea The fact is I listen to music a lot when I write, and I'm a musician as well. So, from now on, at the end, I'm going to volunteer some music. It's either the music that helped inspire the writing, or the stuff I was listening to at the time. If it's just stuff I'm listening to, it might have nothing to do with the chapter, but it might help you see where my head was when I was writing. Or, you know, not.

For the first chapter, I had 3 songs that I will probably now always associate with Bella from not on put on repeat: A Perfect Circle's The Outsider, Sleeping Beauty, and Judith. Especially The Outsider.

For this chapter I listened to A Perfect Circle's Blue a lot, along with Massive Attack's What Your Soul Sings. I also watched Aphex Twin's Rubber Johnny about 10 times, but I assure that, that has nothing to do with the story. It was late and I was bored. I advise not watching it unless you're in the mood for five solid minutes of creepy.

There were a couple other songs I listened to, but I'm keeping them in case I want to use them. :P.

So, please, leave a review, because I love reading your comments and I hope you enjoyed!

Oh, also, there may be a sighting of the rare and elusive JPOV in the next chapter.

…

Mebbe… .


	3. Edible Luxuries

A/N: Rating just went up. Ya'll know what that means kiddies! *devious grin*

Just want to say thanks to all my reviewers, especially BURN3. Your review made me squee. As in one foot popped up, I waved my balled fists under my chin, and squealed like a little girl. I would like to frame your review and put it on my wall. Especially for the use of the word shite.

As for Nyx's question, I am forced to give the answer you will find standard for me, whether I mean yes or no: Mebbe *shifty eyes* Psh, like I'm going to give it away. ;)

I edited the first two chapters, just to fix some minor typos, and finally got the dividers to work. Though I'm sure I probably still missed some typos -_-;. However, no major changes to any parts of the story were made, so you don't have to reread them, unless you'd like you hold the fact that I probably still have a there mixed up with a their in there. In which case, you bastards, you.

This chapter will have elements of songfic. Look for the blocks of italics. I know, I know. *hangs head* I make up for it with the longest chapter yet I hope.

Rated M, extremely not subtle BxJ. Lemon? Yes, please.

Welp, here we go:

Bella POV

Even though I had pressed my face into my pillow, I awoke myself with my own screams. It took me a moment to figure out why the room around me was not mine, but I soon realised where I was. Safe in Emily's living room, and not incinerating above a beach.

I had always had nightmares, and they had gotten worse after Edward left, but that was the most intense dream I had ever had. It still felt as though fire was crawling up my skin. I tried to shake the thought out of my head, and cautiously got up.

The clock on the entertainment unit said 5:06. Well, at least I had gotten what could be considered a night's sleep, because there was no way in hell I was getting any more after that. I padded to the kitchen and got myself a glass of water. As I drank, I found myself far more thirsty than I originally thought, and downed the glass in a few large gulps. I set the glass down in the sink to fill again so I could wipe my mouth. When I did, I realised my entire face was wet and I was burning up. Looking down my clothes were drenched, and running my fingers threw my hair, it too was soaked through with sweat. I grabbed the glass, turning the water off and downed it again, my throat still impossibly dry. Dim light was streaming in through the window above the sink and as I set the glass down in the sink I noticed my arm had taken on a strange tinge. Turning the overhead light on, I looked down at my arms to see what looked like a bright sun burn spread across them.

What the _hell?_

Running my hands over them, they too were unusually warm.

_That's extremely not right, Bella._

I couldn't have agreed more as I almost ran upstairs to the bathroom. I stripped hastily and checked the mirror. My entire body was pink as though I fell asleep naked in the sun, even down to the bottoms of my feet and my inner thighs.

I'm dreaming. I have to still be dreaming. There is no way in hell I'm suffering what amounts to first degree burns on every inch of my body.

_Cool it Bella, freaking out will solve nothing._

Cool it?! How can I cool it when I'm – wait. Maybe cooling it is just what I need, because if I'm not dreaming, then I must be feverish. Panicked, I turned the shower to cold and jumped in it.

_**HOLY MOTHER FUCKER! **_I regretted it instantly as it felt as though a thousand tiny ice daggers were shooting at me from all directors. I cried out as turned the handle to make the water warmer and danced in a small circle, moaning from the shock until the temperature changed. It was still cool, but no longer attempting to prick me to death. I closed my eyes and stuck my head under the water, feebly wishing that the redness would just go away.

"This isn't happening, this isn't happening, this isn't happening, this isn't happening…"

As I chanted my mantra, I unintentionally wondered if Jake went through anything like this when he phased. I had felt as hot as he did at the theatre.

As hot as he did…

I choked on water as I gasped_. __**As hot as he did?**_

_ Bella, you know that can't happen…_

"You're damn right it can't!" I almost shouted. This. Was. **Not.** Happening.

At that thought I seemed to cool down. In fact, I began to shiver as even this warmer water began to feel cold. I turned it off, teeth chattering and stepped out of the shower, mentally preparing myself to see my face in the mirror.

What I saw when I looked shocked me more than I could ever imagine.

My face held no trace of redness. None. I put my hands to my face to make sure what I was seeing was real. Then I noticed my hands were no longer red as well. I carefully checked over every inch of my body – arms, legs, belly, back, and all the rest, all as pale as it usually was.

My face contorted with confusion before I sighed with relief. I must have still been hazy from my dream, and imagined the whole thing. Looking down at my clothes, I could see that I had still sweated through them, but that was to be expected after that wholly consuming nightmare. It was so vivid that psychosomatic symptoms kicked in.

_I really hope you aren't rationalising._

You and me both, Jacob-conscience.

I actually laughed a little. I had probably just given myself pneumonia by jumping in that freezing shower after sweating in my sleep. Serves me right for freaking out like that. Hopefully the fact that it was the beginning of June would counter act that.

I pulled two towels out of the cabinet, wrapping my hair in one and myself in the other. I ignored the flipping in my stomach that was telling me that I probably was just rationalising, and headed out of the bathroom to see if I couldn't grab my bag without walking into one of the guys in the kitchen on the way there. Fortunately, the only person I ran into was Emily, on the way out of the bathroom, thought that didn't make me jump any less.

"Bella, are you alright?" Her hair was still messy from sleep, and light bags were underneath her eyes. She looked extremely concerned.

I put a hand to my thumping heart. "I'm fine Emily, you just startled me."

She still looked at me with worry in her eyes. "What was that about?"

Damn. I had woken her up with my stunt in the bathroom. I sighed. "It was nothing, I was just… I was just disoriented after a bad dream."

She nodded. "I heard you screaming in the middle of the night, but Sam had told me that you have nightmares, so I figured it was probably better not to wake you. I didn't want to confuse you." I looked down at the floor. I didn't want to make her feel bad about something that happened so often. "This one still sounded really bad. Are you sure you're alright Bella?"

The immediate reaction which came to mind was to lie and say yes.

_I thought we were opening up, Bella?_

I sighed and motioned for Em to follow me as I went to get my stuff. "This one was really bad, it felt more real than any dream I ever had." I rubbed my face, still not completely sure if I were awake or sleeping at this point.

"Why don't you tell me about it?"

I described the beach, Edward, and Jacob and I igniting as I gathered my stuff and headed back upstairs. We talked through the bathroom door as I dressed.

"You were sunburned?"

"I thought so. I guess I was just so caught up in the dream that I wasn't completely awake for awhile."

"That sounds horrifying."

I nodded, coming out of the bathroom fully clothed. "It was. It's just…" I stopped mid-sentence, unable to find the right words.

"It's just what?"

"The fire didn't feel… altogether bad… you know?"

She chuckled. "Maybe you just feel bad about having the hots for Jake."

I glowered at her and she laughed at me. I rolled my eyes. "Can I use your blow dryer?"

"Sure, it's in the cabinet below the sink. I'll be right back, I'm going to get dressed."

I combed my hair as I dried it and just let it fall. I never did much with it anyway, but I didn't feel like walking around with wet hair. Emily came back as I was finishing.

"I do not feel bad about having the hots for Jake."

"If you say so, Bella." I grimace-pouted at her.

She giggled a moment and then composed herself. "I'm sorry if you feel like I'm making fun of you or pushing you towards him, it's just kind of obvious."

"It's ok Em. I know it's obvious. Jake's the person I feel the most comfortable around. Sometimes, without Jake, I can't be Bella. But, I don't want to become so dependant on him that it becomes a mirror of my last relationship. It's not really fair to either of us."

She nodded in agreement as we walked downstairs. "I know what it feels like not to be sure about something."

I sighed. "It's not fair. I really want to just be ready and move on, but no, I can't, because I have to be complicated." I through my hands up exasperated. "It's like I'm Scarlett O'Hara when she's forced into mourning for Charles Hamilton, even though she doesn't want to go around wearing black and be discounted from parties. Except I'm the one forcing myself to mourn."

"Sometimes it's good to mourn." She yawned and put on the coffee pot.

I looked at the clock on the stove. 6:18. "Oh geez, Em, I'm sorry I woke you up. It's so early, you should still be asleep."

She waved her hand in dismissal. "It's fine Bella, I still have to get the barbeque pit ready for the guys."

"So we don't have to cook the burgers or steaks?"

She snorted at me. "God forbid any of us dainty womenfolk get between men and their inalienable right to flame broil animal products. Didn't you know meat can't be cooked without the proper application of testosterone?"

I laughed. "Yeah, and an innate disability to light a barbecue without burning their eyebrows off."

"Exactly. I suppose we can put the potatoes in when we get the coals right though. I don't think it will disturb the sacred unity between man and grill _too_ much."

"I'll help."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "I don't mean to offend you, but aren't you supposed to be rather clumsy, Bella?"

I blushed. "Um, yeah."

"Well it's a rather wide pit, and I don't want you to actually fall into it." At that moment Embry and Jared walked in through the kitchen door, shirtless and laughing.

"Hey Emily, Bella. What's for breakfast?" Embry rubbed his stomach.

I smirked. "Why don't I get started on that instead?"

"Good idea Bella. I'll just be down the road if you need me. We're having it at Sam's parent's house. They have the biggest back yard, and the biggest TV. They're also closest to the beach for the bonfire. Boys, when you're done eating, help Bella pack up all the food to bring over. And don't eat any of it, there's plenty of stuff for omelettes and french toast."

"Fine fine Emily, we'll be good."

I got out what had to be the biggest skillet I'd ever seen and started cracking eggs.

"Hey, Bella, no mushrooms on mine," said Jared.

"I'll take his mushrooms," said Embry.

I was very thankful that Emily had pre-sliced the vegetables.

* * *

I tallied up the mental checklist for the third time. "Buns, potato salad, macaroni salad with tuna, macaroni salad without tuna, devilled eggs, nacho dip, various vegetables with dip, fruit and yogurt, ambrosia salad, corn chips, potato chips, potato skins, potatoes for baking–" I took a deep breath. "Garden salad, Caesar salad, fruit cobbler done five ways, brownies, lemon cake, ice cream **and** sorbet, chocolate chip cookies, and all the makings for s'mores. Yep, that's everything. I can't believe we made most of that in one afternoon, Emily is a cooking beast."

I looked behind me to see two large, salivating men. "You just ate!" I said incredulously.

"I could eat again," said Jared. I stomped my foot and pouted, much to both of their amusement. I heard a rumbling from outside and turned and look to see my truck pull into the driveway. Jake got out of the cab, twirling the keys. He hopped up the front stairs whistling.

"Hey Bella, I gave it a look and it's fine now, he just rerouted the power so you couldn't get it to–" He stopped and whistled when he saw all the food stacked in the kitchen.

"It's for later!" I said rolling my eyes.

"Doesn't mean I can't appreciate it now."

I would be rolling my eyes a lot today. "My truck's a plus though. Alright guys, load it up. And if you eat even one potato skin, I'll tell Emily and she'll have your hide!"

"Spoil sport," said Embry grabbing a stack of containers.

I packed my bag together and began to fold up the couch as Jared and Embry conveyed the food to the bed of my truck.

"Here, let me get that." He leaned over and ended up doing most of the work for me. "There, good as new." His smiled shined down on me and he went right back to looking like he used to, when we used to hang out in his garage. I reached up and pushed a strand of hair out of his eyes. By this point it reached the top of his shoulders again.

"I'm so glad you decided to grow it out again. You look too different with it short."

He smiled and mumbled thanks. "Oooooh Jake, you're so pretty." Embry snickered on his way out the door.

"Hey! You're lucky I intend to eat some of what you're carrying, or I'd punch you right in the–"

"Jacob Ephraim Black, be-HAVE!" I really wanted to get into a good mood after that dream, and fighting wasn't helping. He stopped and blushed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Wow, Jake, you got told."

"You too Jared!"

"Geez, spend one night here and she becomes a second Emily," he mumbled as he walked out carrying a tray of vegetables.

Jake snickered and went into the kitchen to help. All in all, it only took us about twenty minutes to load up the truck, get my stuff in there, and extract solemn promises from Jared and Embry to ride in the back and make sure nothing fell over **without** eating it.

"Why does Jake get to sit up front?" asked Embry as he climbed in the back.

Jake smirked at them as he opened the door. "It's because I'm so pretty."

Yep, definitely rolling my eyes a lot today. I got into the truck and started it up. The engine roared but it settled on its familiar purr instead of the coughing hiccup it had recently taken on. I lit up in a smile. "Awesome Jake, really awesome." He got in and smiled at me.

"I try."

You do a little more than that, I thought. I turned out of the drive and headed down the road. "So how did the run go?"

"The twigs were particularly vicious last night."

"Oh, really?"

"Yep. Count your blessings that I'm out there, or we'd all be dead."

"Did my sarcasm rub off on you, or was it always there?"

"Little of Column A, little of Column B."

"Ah." This was… surprisingly nice. I thought after that dream things would be entirely awkward with Jacob. "The hair really does look better now, you know."

"Compliments will get you far, Bella Swan."

"How far is that?"

He looked at me and wriggled his eyebrows. I snorted, hoping I wasn't blushing too obviously.

_You are __**so**__ falling in love with me._

Am not.

_Are too._

Fine, maybe a little. But don't tell anyone.

_I'm your inner monologue Bella. Who am I going to tell? You?_

Yes…. Stop voice smirking.

_Stop being ridiculous._

I'm not being ridiculous.

_Yes you are Bella. You deserve all the happiness in the world. Why don't you just take it?_

I looked down at Jacob's hand tapping on his knee. It would be very easy to take. Just reach over and take it. I never reach for his hand. It's always the other way around, so he'd know that it meant something.

A simple hand motion. That was all that stood between me and happiness. Just one extension of my hand. I drummed the fingers of my right hand on the wheel, prolonging the decision, and then lifted my hand off of it.

And that's when it hit me. The betrayal. The guilt. The hurt in Edward's eyes. The feeling that being happy without him was utterly wrong. I ran my hand quickly through my hair and put it back on the wheel.

_Bella,_ the voice chided me.

I can't, it hurts too much.

_Everything that means something is supposed to hurt._

"Wrong kind of hurt," I muttered under my breath.

"What was that?"

"Uh, nothing Jake. Which house was it?"

"That one."

"Oh yeah, thanks."

_Coward._

Shut up. I pulled into the Uley's drive way and got out. "Hang on a sec Embry, Jared. I'm going to go see where Emily wants it all." I walked towards the house before I stopped and added. "And don't eat anything!"

_"Goddammit."_ I heard from behind me. I shook my head and went around back to see the back yard covered in tables near what was a very large fire pit, which was smoking currently, and had foil covered potatoes lining one side of it, with a rack on the other. Emily was poking at it and turning potatoes over.

"Emily, how was I supposed to fall into that thing when it's raised?"

"Sam said you were very clumsy. Hey Jake, Sam's inside."

"Thanks Em." Jacob headed in through the back door.

"I got everything here, Em, where do you want it?"

She stopped raking coals for a moment and pointed. "All long those tables under the tent. Put the desserts over on one side and the side dishes by the heated platters." I headed back to the truck and set Jared and Embry back to work.

Emily put the poker down and came over to me. "I see you enlisted help."

"They were there. They were fed. I took the opportunity."

"Oh, I'm so keeping you." I smirked at her.

* * *

The day went by splendidly. Charlie got there just past noon. I felt genuinely complimented as everyone commented on how the food turned out, and snickered along with Emily as the older men, including Sam, and Jake to an extend, waxed philosophically about the proper way to cook a steak. Emily was right to prepare food in such quantities, as Embry and Jared never left until Sam gave them a look and they both nodded. Quil and Paul showed up later, and the food disappeared at a steady rate all day long as the pack wolfed it down. I had finally gotten to say my condolences to Sue Clearwater and did so, my heart breaking as I watched her look at her children in tears in her eyes.

"At least I know Harry would be so proud… of both of them."

I nodded. She knew. Well, how could she not? It would be cruel to keep it from her, seeing as she's gone through so much already. It wasn't any easier to see her hurt though. Her smiles never seemed to quite reach her eyes. Poor Seth and Leah.

As the games came on, any and all things masculine would head inside to scream and cheer at the big screen. I watched through part of one game, but compared to everything else that had happened this week, two dozen or so men running around a field tackling each other seemed boring.

I was leaning against the garage watching the beach across the street when Leah cornered me.

"Hey," she said walking up slowly and settling against the garage beside me.

"Hey." I sipped my coke.

"Um… I'm not very good at stuff like this… Look, I just wanted to apologise for what I said yesterday. It was pretty mean."

I shook my head. "No, it's ok. It's understandable. If I had a brother, I wouldn't want to see him hurt either."

"Sooo….. All's forgiven?"

"Of course it is."

She nodded, her black hair bouncing. We stayed there, not talking to each other for a few minutes, until she turned back to me.

"I'm, um…. I'm kind of being a shit to everybody."

I wrinkled my forehead. "I'm… sure it's not that bad." As conversation starters went, that one was pretty unorthodox, but I've heard worse.

She shook her head. "No, I am. When I'm phased I think about things. Things that everybody else would rather forget."

"Well Leah, you're grieving, no one should expect you not to think about your dad."

"That's not it. Well…" She looked down at her shoes. "Not all the time. I still think about him sometimes."

I put a hand on her shoulder. "I wish I could say I knew how you felt, but I think what you and I went threw is more than a little different."

She nodded again, almost nervously. "Yeah but we both, you know, lost people we loved. It's kind of the same."

"Is that why you're talking to me?"

"Yeah. That and after yesterday… you seemed like you'd be easy to talk to. I'm sorry, if I'm bothering you I can leave."

"No, you're not bothering me."

"Thanks. Even if you don't mean it. What I meant was, I keep remembering when we were out in the woods searching for Sam."

_Oh_. "Leah, it's ok. I mean, you just figured everything out, why wouldn't you reflect on it?"

She shook her head, still not looking at me. "No, I'm kind of… doing it intentionally."

My eyes pricked. Oh Leah. "I can't blame you for being angry."

"Yeah, that's what they said first too. I don't know what it is. I know why he did it. I know it wasn't his fault. But I still want to hurt him. I thought you'd, you know, understand, because maybe you felt the same way about that para– I mean vampire."

I chuckled. "I'll admit, I've been pretty angry at Edward this weekend. Though I have to say I think he earned his ire a little more legitimately than Sam did."

"Yeah. I think what the leech, er, _Edward_ did was pretty much worse too. But, you know, it didn't happen to me."

I nodded. "At least you didn't forgive Sam only to realise that you really didn't forgive him at all. I still don't think they can get that angry with you."

"I don't know, I'm really being a shit I think. It's why they pair me with Seth, even though we're both new. No one else wants to listen to me."

"Leah, you're their sister as much as their all brothers to each other. It isn't fair if they leave you out, even if you're still getting over things."

"Am I ever going to get all the way over?"

"I think you will. You can already admit that it isn't Sam's fault, even if you're still mad at him."

"I guess."

I turned to face her. While she towered over me, hunched up against that wall, she looked so small. "Leah, you probably aren't ever going stop being mad at Sam. It was a bad situation all around. But, so long as you don't bottle it up, and you work through it, it's going to get less. Believe me, I've tried doing both and felt the effects of both, and working through it is far most pleasant. So while you'll never completely stop being mad at him, just like I'm never completely going to stop loving Edward, eventually, you're going to be able to let it go. It'll still be there, but you won't think about it as much, and it won't be as bitter."

"Really?"

I thought for a moment and chuckled. "I have no clue. I'm just kind of going along with it all right now. It seems to be working that way."

She smiled and looked up, then furrowed her brow and looked down again.

"Is something else the matter?"

"You… Jake hasn't imprinted on you, has he."

My heart skipped a beat. I slowly shook my head no.

"That's kind of the other thing that makes me mad about you. I can see how much you care for him. And I have to listen to how much he cares for you. But it just hurts to watch you get involved when you could just end up like me."

She had said the words I dreaded. I didn't like to think about that. Sure, I was still trying to work my way out of love with Edward, but in the process of falling in to it with Jacob, I didn't want to lose him again. Still, I agreed with her. "Yeah, I guess that could happen."

She nodded. "You know, you're, like, a really great person?" I raised an eyebrow. "No, really. I threw shit at you yesterday for the same reason I do it to everyone else, and instead of harping on me for it, you just took it and said you understand. And that's really great. So I kind of don't want the same thing to happen to you. I don't want you to be bitter, like me. That's kind of why I was a shit to you, specifically. To get you to go away so it doesn't happen to you."

That hit me really heavily. Leah was trying to protect me, even if she was doing it by being crass. I thought for a moment. "You know, I couldn't even really kiss Edward."

She looked at me weirdly. "What?"

"I couldn't kiss him. My blood 'sang' to him. He couldn't take the contact without wanting to bite me. Sure, we did kiss, but it was always closed mouth reserved pecks, and he would shove me away if it got to be too much."

"That… fucking sucks."

I laughed. "Yeah. It did…. But I'm not going to let it ruin kissing for me, just because it happened so badly with one person, you know?"

She studied me for a moment. "Yeah, I think I see what you mean." She tapped her shoe on the ground and nodded her head to some invisible beat. "What do you think would… make me be less angry at him?"

"Has he ever apologised."

She snorted. "All the time."

"No, I mean really apologised. Has he ever admitted all the wrongs he did to you, each one, and then honestly say he was sorry for them?"

"No, I guess not."

"You might want to start there then. I know I'd like Edward to do that for me."

"Ok, I think I'll try that." She smiled at me. "I was right about you being easy to talk to Bella."

"Well, there's at least one social interaction I haven't failed at."

She chuckled. We stayed there in silence for awhile, and Leah straightened up. Just then, a cherry red convertible with a black top pulled up in front of the house.

"Who's that?" I asked.

Leah looked at the car and gave a low whistle. "I don't know, but that's a nice car. It's a '66 Mustang."

"Why does everyone here speak car?"

"Because a lot of us hear people think about it."

"Good point."

The front dog swung open and I gasped as I caught sight of red hair.

"Victoria?" I blanched and Leah stepped off the garage and stood in front of me. She sniffed the air. "It's not bloodsucker, I'd still be able to smell it from here."

The woman walked to the front of the house, looked at the door, and then pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and inspected it. She proceeded to look carefully between the two.

She was striking. Tall and leanly muscular, she wore a pair of dark blue jeans, black boots and a black t-shirt. Her hair was utterly unlike Victoria's now that I had looked closer. Her hair, instead of being wild and frizzy, hung down her shoulders and back in a haphazard, sleek way that made her look truly beautiful. And it wasn't the harsh red that Victoria had either, it was auburn, with copper highlights that shone under the sun. Her skin was the colour of light coffee with a bronze tinge that signalled she had to be Native to some degree, though she could pass for white if she tried, I supposed. Part of the reason for that were the pale blue eyes that I could make out from across the yard that flicked over the house and the paper she held. They sent a shiver down my spine, but at the same time made me feel at ease, having the ability to be eerie and not all at the same time. Noticing the two of us standing there, she walked over to us.

"Is this the residence of Joshua Uley?" she asked. She had an accent, a very slight one, but I couldn't place it. It was a certain lift to her vowels and the rhythm in which she said things.

"Yeah," said Leah.

"I'm looking for his son. I tried his house, but the neighbour said he'd be here."

"He's inside."

"Oh? Thanks then." She headed for the house.

"Wait, I'll get him." Leah looked at her for a moment, then headed toward the house.

She folded up the paper and smiled at me. "Family get together is it?"

Something about her, despite the piercing eyes, just made her seem friendly. Sort of like the way Jake still looked like a puppy dog sometimes. "Uh, kinda. It's more of a foot ball thing."

"Ah. Who's playing?"

"I don't know, sorry."

She laughed. "It's alright, I don't really follow NFL. That whole four downs thing bugs me."

I hope that was sports talk, because I have no idea what she just said. Luckily, I didn't have to make awkward conversation anymore, as Sam exited the house, followed by… the entire pack? I guess the idea of some strange woman showing up at the house didn't sit well.

Despite being encroached on by eight enormous individuals, the woman seemed perfectly at easy. If anything, her smile grew larger. Emily walked over to us from the barbecue pit, her brow furrowed with worry.

"Can I help you?" Sam said, stern as ever, arm's crossed over his chest.

"Actually I believe I'm here to help you."

"…What?"

"I said I would be here by the end of the week. It is Sunday, is it not?

Sam's mouth hung open. "Ve? I thought you said next week. You were still in Manitoba."

Her grin became even larger, flashing white teeth. "It took a bit of a run, and I had to get a few things I left in storage in Seattle, but I say I made good time.

Sam stood there flabbergasted for a moment and then dropped to his knees. The rest of the pack followed him. From across the yard, Sue Clearwater gave us a shocked look, and quickly steered my father inside the house. Feeling silly, I slowly lowered myself to the ground as well.

Sam bowed his head. "I– I'm sorry that your receptions isn't more… fitting of your station, I didn't know you would be here so early, I thought you were coming next week, I–"

She shook her hands. "Now come on little brother, I don't need all this. Get up. I'm better served by you being on your feet than on your knees." She helped him up.

"Oh." Sam may have been a man of few words, but I don't think I've ever seen him speechless. He got up, followed by the rest of us."Well, welcome to La Push. I made arrangements with my father, but we weren't expecting you until next week, but I'm sure we can do something."

"That's quite fine. Now, let's get a look at all of you." She eyed the group up and down, and then her eyes fell on Sam. I figured out what was wrong with her eyes. The rest of her looked much like any of the other werewolves, stuck in her twenties. But not her eyes. Her eyes were old, perhaps ancient, and they portrayed every year she had lived in all the ways that her features did not. Even Carlisle's eyes did not look old, not like this. Her eyes were deep pools that went on forever, eyes that you could get stuck in and never get out again.

She stared at him a moment, and then turned to Emily, and smiled. "Ah Sam, this must be your Emily. Welcome, little sister." She crossed the space between them in three steps with her long, sleek legs, and wrapped Emily in a big hug. Em looked bewildered for a moment before blushing and mumbling a thank you.

Ve took a step back and began surveying the group. "Embry, Paul, Jared. I'll have to meet your Kim, Jared, very soon." She smiled and nodded to each of them in turn, giving each of them her hand. They all were shocked, but Paul in particular just stared at her in awe and only gave up her hand reluctantly as Quil elbowed him. She turned to Quil. "Quil Ateara, I remember well who you were named for. He's the first one that saw me as I was making my way to Vancouver Island."

Quil's eyes widened. "You're the one they met?"

She nodded. "I certainly was. I hope you gained your ancestor's sharp eyes. That man could read the label of a soup can if it was across the street from here." Her eyes left his and saddened. "Seth Clearwater, I'm sorry for your loss."

Seth jolted as if he had been shocked by static electricity. "How…. How do you do that?"

She smiled back at him. "You pick up a few tricks here and there when you've been around as long as I have." She turned, smiling, to face Leah. "And you must be the wunderkind. Welcome to the boy's club Leah, well, so to speak. Equally sorry for your loss."

Leah blushed a deep purple and mumbled her thanks, dropping her head.

Ve took her chin and raised her face to look at her. "None of that, little sister. Shoulders straight, head tall. No reason in the world not to be proud." She grasped Jacob by both shoulders and looked him up and down. "Jacob Black, you look just like Ephraim. You especially have his eyes."

"Wow, really?"

She nodded. "You better watch out Sam, if he's anything like the man he looks like he's going to be challenging you soon enough." She gave a small laugh. "So long as you keep it friendly, I say pack shake-ups are better rather than worse. Keeps things interesting." Her eyes widened with her last syllable.

She turned to me. "Now who might you be?"

"I, um, uh… I'm Bella."

"Ah, the Bella I've been hearing some much about. The one who walked into the Volturi council and lived. It's not often that happens, little sister, so I would count my blessings. I am especially glad to meet you Bella. We've being trying to get something on those old bats for centuries now." Her ice blue eyes slid between me and Jake slowly, and then again. "Interesting," she murmured. "Very interesting." She shook my hand and surprised me. She was warm as the rest were, but her warmth seemed to bubble over and flow into me, making me feel completely at ease. It was like Jasper, but kicked into overdrive. Unlike Jasper, I felt like I could yell my head off if I wanted to, it's just that all my nervousness left me. "Come Sam, I should like to meet the rest of your family." She took his hand and led him towards his own father's house, as if she had been there a thousand times before. I shook my head in disbelief.

Leah was the first to speak. "She's… amazing."

"Amazing," Seth agreed.

"More than amazing," murmured Quil.

"And kind of scary," said Seth.

I nodded. "I'll say."

Jake scratched his head. "Wait a minute, why didn't she know Bella's name?"

"What?" Paul looked at him confused.

"Well, she knew all of our names, but she had to ask for Bella's."

Embry nodded. "It's like she has pack telepathy even when she's human."

"It's not that Embry, I wasn't thinking my name." Jake said.

Embry frowned. "Well I don't know then."

Jared smirked goofily. "Who cares? Just shaking her hand made me feel like I could win any fight I got in to. No wonder she's supposed to be a war general."

Paul nodded. "Maybe we should get her to take on the red headed leech. I want to see what she'd do to it."

Embry laughed. "I wouldn't bet against her, that's for sure."

"Well, you guys better go eat, now that we have another mouth to feed." The boys, minus Jake, speedily gave their assent, making their way to the food tent.

"Talk to you later Bella," said Leah, leaving with a wave.

Jake turned to me, cocking a eyebrow. "Made a friend, did we?"

I giggled. "Something like that."

"I think we should officially hire you as our mediator. You know when to talk, and when to throw steaks at us."

"What can I say, it's a gift."

Jake reached for my hand. I let him take it. Why was it so easy for him?"

"What did she mean when she called us 'interesting?'"

"I have no idea. But I'm getting one of those brownies before Quil eats them all." I looked over at the tent and saw what Jacob meant as Quil must have stuffed 3 brownies in his mouth.

I snerked. "We might have to beat him off with a stick."

Jake made a fist and shook it. "I've got his stick right here. Quil! Put that box down!"

I shook my head as I followed behind him.

* * *

The rest of the barbecue went off pretty much without a hitch. Sam introduced Ve to everyone, including Charlie, who she immediately impressed with some more sports talk I didn't understand. Sam's dad and Billy received her like she was the Queen of England, and she had to shake them off like she did with Sam. When she met Sue, she put an arm around her and spoke in hushed tones. I saw fresh tears come to her eyes, but she seemed comforted. After introductions, she headed to eat with the rest of the pack, her eyes rolling back her as she saw the cobbler.

"You have no idea how much I have missed dessert," she whispered to me as she loaded a plate up. "You can't exactly get a cake hunting Wendigos in the middle of the bush." She ate a forkful and I watched her eyes sparkle. "Raspberry! My favourite. Nicely done little sister."

I blushed. "I only helped."

"All the same." She turned to Sam. "So I am to understand that you have a treaty with the Cold Ones?" He nodded. "Odd. Your last pack did not mention this. I should like to review the terms and meet with these… unique specimens. It should be interesting, if nothing else."

I frowned. I don't know if I wanted her to meet the Cullens, given how dangerous she was supposed to be. I may like her, but I doubt they would, and I had this sneaking feeling that expressing that to her could get them into deep trouble.

"You are worried." I was shocked back into paying attention.

"Um, what?"

Her eyes appraised me. "You are worried about something."

"Oh, I…" I found myself unable to lie to her. "I'm… afraid you'll hurt them." I looked down, ashamed. I didn't want to hurt the others by worrying about the Cullens.

I felt a hand come to my chin, and my face was lifted to meet her pale eyes again. "My hurting them depends entirely on them, little sister. They will all remain alive for this meeting. I can promise that. But I cannot allow slights against me. It would be disrespectful to the Council to allow the mistreatment of one of their representatives to go unchecked, before even my own pride. We have a reputation to keep, and I will keep it with my full ability. Is there understanding between us?" I nodded slowly. It wasn't the best promise I could hope for, but I felt that she would keep it, no matter what. She turned to Sam. "You shall arrange this for this week, before your elders meet next Saturday, and Bella shall be with us, to assuage her worry." Sam nodded. She turned back to me. "They will see you standing on our side," she said. It wasn't an order or a threat. She was trying to make me understand what I would have to face if I came. I would very clearly be choosing my side.

My stomach did three flips and landed the wrong side down, but somehow the words, "I'll be there," came out of my mouth. I would be there, and the lines would be drawn.

She nodded. "Well, I wish I could take off the 'authoritative hat,' and join your bonfire, but I need you, Sam, to take me out and review the land. Get a feel for my surroundings. Sorry to steal him from you Emily, but it's best to do this as soon as possible."Sam agreed and they headed out.

Soon after everyone under thirty headed down to the beach, and Emily and Leah started up the bonfire. The salty driftwood burned blue and we laughed as Quil tried to shove three whole s'mores in his mouth. Emily had brought down a full stereo system and was currently playing a rotating number of her apparently infamous mixed CDs. The most noticeable thing about them, at least to me, was the heavy bass lines. It kind of made it easier to listen to. I think I'll always associate bass with the pack now. Deep, dark thrumming, like heart beats, music that was clearly alive and primal. Edward's music was all piano, high notes, too beautiful to exist. The difference was striking. Edward could make me want to cry, but Emily's compilations made people sway. As the sun went down, the music got turned up, and other people started showing up. Jared introduced me to Kim, and apparently some other girls from La Push were here, and Paul and Quil were showing off in front of them. I sat next to Emily the whole time, bobbing my head to her stereo and learning La Push gossip – who was going out with whom, and the like. The names didn't always match up with faces, but it was nice to be doing something so normal. A bonfire at the beach, even if most of the people there turned into wolves when they so pleased.

Someone had brought beer and that was beginning to get passed around. Jake came up and offered me one.

"You drink?" I asked, laughing at him.

"Parents don't care so much when you have the physical body of a twenty five year old."

I grabbed the bottle from his hand. "It's not like anyone's going to card you, anyways. Just one though. Renee used to let me have wine at holidays. Apparently I'm a weepy drunk."

Jake laughed. "Just being polite."

"What about Sam?"

"Doesn't care so long as you can keep calm about it, though he prefers we don't get drunk."

"Shouldn't you not be drinking then?"

He smirked at me. "I could probably down 12 of these before I started feeling anything. It's the whole faster metabolism thing. If any of us do get drunk, it means we made a hell of a show trying to. Anyways, come walk with me." He reached out for my hand and I took his. We headed off down the beach, the bonfire still bright behind us.

We stayed silent for a few minutes, just enjoying the light breeze off the waves, before he turned to me. "Good weekend?"

I nodded, sipping from the bottle. "Great weekend."

He smiled at me, becoming my Jacob all over again. "Even with all the self introspection and high speed car chases?"

"Even with all that."

He gently pulled me into a hug and patted my head. "Good. The last thing I want is for you to regret something."

"I regret not doing this sooner."

He looked a little surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah. I wish I hadn't gotten involved with… Edward again. Things would be a lot less complicated now."

He let go of me and we kept walking down the beach. "Sometimes you gotta learn the hard way." I nodded.

I looked up and saw what we were heading for. The dead log, where Jacob told me everything, even though I didn't know it at the time. I paused, remembering my dream.

He felt me stop. "Something wrong?"

I bit my lip, and then shook my head. "No, just this vivid dream I had about the beach last night. Déjà vu, you know?"

"Yeah I guess." We stopped and sat down. Instead of face to face, like last time, he propped his leg up on the natural seat and I found myself being cradled in his lap as we looked at the deep blue-grey sky, with only the hint of pink from the setting sun. He wrapped his arms around me, and even though that too reminded me of the flames, I felt safe. We could still hear the music coming from the bonfire. The night was cooler, but I was only faintly cold without my jacket and more than warm enough now that I was in Jake's arms.

I could fall asleep like this, I realised. Who would have thought that muscles that looked that hard could be this nice to lie against? Well, I have, more than once, much to the glee of the voice in my head.

I was completely relaxed in that moment. Back at the bonfire, the music changed, and a guitar riff started up, accompanied by another thrumming bass line. I hummed along absentmindedly until Jacob leaned toward me and laid a kiss on my temple.

I froze, and he felt it. "Sorry, sorry, just… got caught up in the moment. I know, don't push you." He shifted, as if he were going to get up.

Yes, I had felt the guilt again, like Edward as looking at me, disapprovingly. But, cheered on by the voice, I forced myself not to care. I didn't want him to get up. I wanted him to stay right here.

"No, Jake. You don't have to go anywhere. Stay."

_Lay where you're laying_

_ Don't make a sound_

_ I know they're watching_

_ They're watching_

He stopped moving. "You sure?" I nodded against him, and he settled back in. I laid there, wishing I could just ignore everything but this moment.

"You deserve something better than me, Jake. Something less broken and less stuck on people who aren't good for me."

His hand reached up and stroked my hair. "Too bad those people aren't you, huh?"

I laughed softly. "Why do you even bother with me?"

"Because you're worth it and you don't know it yet." He picked me up and gently turned me to face him. "Because you're the most beautiful person I know, and I don't mean just looking at you. Because I can talk to you about things that bore most girls to death, and not only do you listen to them, you try and take an interest in them. How could I not bother with the one person that makes me feel like I'm more by her presence?"

I blushed a deep red. "But I've done so much wrong to you. I completely neglected you for the sake of my own happiness. I don't deserve this devotion."

His hand moved from my hair to sweep across my cheek "What you didn't deserve was to be made to feel like so little by that bastard. That's what you didn't deserve. As for me, I'm pretty sure I don't deserve you."

Oh, Jacob. My Jacob. My personal sun. The one who drove the darkness out and replaced it with light. How could you ever think you don't deserve me?

_Dark of the alley_

_ The breaking of day_

_ The head while I'm driving_

_ I'm driving_

I was so tired with being broken. I was fed up with Edward, to the point where I was fed up with being fed up with Edward. I put my hand on his chest and stared at it, watching as it moved up and down with his breathing, feeling the thrumming underneath that told me he was alive. I rubbed my thumb, and the thrumming sped up ever so lightly. Was that because of me, or was I just imagining it. I drank from the bottle again and looked up at him.

"You must think I'm frigid or a tease."

He leaned forward, gripping my small hand to his chest with his large one. "No Bella. I could never think that. I don't think you're anything but recovering from being hurt and betrayed. I said I knew you'd come to your senses. I meant that."

I knew he did. I also knew that it might take a lifetime of trying to become the person he deserved before I ever got there.

"More than anything Bella, I just wish I knew how to fix it. I'd do anything to make you happy. Even if that meant leaving you alone."

"I don't want you to leave me." It sounded more panicked than I had intended.

"Then I'll never leave."

I believed him. I utterly believed that he would never leave me so long as that was what I wanted.

"You're so warm," I mused. He chucked beneath my hand, and somewhere in me, I found bravery, as he warmed me. I might take a life time, but I was ready to try. "You make me never want to be cold again."

His chocolate eyes locked with mine as his hand came to rest on my chin, lifting it up. He closed the space between us, and I could feel his hot breath across my lips.

He looked into my eyes once more, searching for something, before he pulled my chin softly towards him and met my lips with his.

_Hot as a fever_

_ Rattling bones_

_ I can just taste it_

_ Taste it_

He tasted like beer at first, and then ginger or cinnamon. Something spicy I couldn't put words too. More than anything he was warm, gloriously warm and inviting, causing liquid fire to pool in my abdomen and legs. I stayed there tentatively, enjoying the moment until he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer.

Oh _yes._ I remembered that there was nothing preventing him from being able to enjoy this as much as I did as his fingers twined themselves in my hair and his palms rubbed my back.

Moreover, there was nothing preventing me.

I brought my legs around to straddle him and pulled myself on top of him, running my hands up and down his chest. He moaned from beneath my lips and one of his hands found its way to my lower back, pushing me closer to him. My thumbs made small circles in the muscles of his neck as I bit his bottom lip, inciting a low growl from him. He rubbed his pelvis into mine, allowing me to feel how exited he was, causing me to slip my tongue past teeth I knew had no venom. He didn't push me away, instead pulled me closer, and I gripped his chest for dear life. Our kiss deepened again as his hands cupped my bottom after burning their way down my back.

_You_

_ Your sex is on fire_

I wanted nothing more to melt into him at that point, and the only thing that was preventing me was the t shirt stretching across his chest. I longed to take it off so I could feel every last muscle with my bare hands, but that would mean I would have to stop kissing him, and I wasn't prepared to do that. I gripped his collar, hating it. Any other day he would be shirtless, but not today, not with Charlie here. I shifted even closer to him, locking our hips together and moaning as his hands stroked back up my back to cradle my head.

I despised the flimsy cotton, twisting it, keeping my lips pressed to his, his fire reaching the insides of my mouth and beginning to burn me from inside out. Hoping that he didn't particularly like the shirt, and begging that it would work, I wrentched at his collar. Amazingly the cotton gave way with a _riiiiiiip_ and I was treated to an expanse of flesh that I ran my hands over.

He groaned and gripped me to him, his hands leaving my hair. I pushed the remnants of the shirt off and raked my nails down his back, causing him to bite down on my bottom lip and growl. His hands shot up the back of my shirt and found their way to my bra. After a few moments, I felt it come loose and helped him pull it off through one of the arms of my shirt. He growled my name into my mouth, and his hands fell over my breasts, still through my shirt. He kneaded them, his thumbs brushing over my nipples, causing me to break away in a gasp, before pulling his mouth to mine again. His hands seemed to get hotter as they cupped me.

His hands ran down my stomach to my hips, pulling me back to him as close as possible. He kneaded the skin above my jeans for a moment before beginning his hands on an agonisingly slow course rubbing up my sides, taking my shirt with them. I began to shake, not with cold, but with anticipation as he pushed up until his thumbs brushed the undersides of my breasts.

* * *

Jacob POV

Embry asked me to help him as everyone left to go down to the beach. I ended up round the side of the house, staring at 5 cases of bottles.

"Beer?" I asked, giving him a look.

"You know, it's celebratory and stuff."

"And stuff." I elbowed him, and grabbed the larger stack of cases. "You know, you could carry this all by yourself."

"Just because I can doesn't mean I should. I enjoy seeing where I'm going."

"Excuses."

"You're lucky I'm carrying this right now."

"No, _you're_ lucky you're carrying that right now. No sense in spilling perfectly good beer to kick your sorry ass."

We headed down to the beach where Emily had already set her stereo up and Quil was trying his damnedest to get as much s'more in his mouth as possible. As I set the cases down, I 'accidently' bumped his head, making him drop the last one.

"Ass," he muttered, scraping melted marshmallow off his shoe.

"Not my fault you're a pig." I grabbed two bottles and headed for Bella.

_All the commotion_

_ The kiddie like play_

_ It has people talking_

_ They're talking_

"You drink?" she asked with a laugh.

I smirked down at her. "Parents don't care so much when you have the physical body of a twenty five year old."

She took the bottle from me. "It's not like anyone's going to card you, anyways. Just one though. Renee used to let me have wine at holidays. Apparently I'm a weepy drunk."

The thought of her drunk and crying was an amusing one, so long as she wasn't all that sad. "Just being polite."

"What about Sam?"

"Doesn't care so long as you can keep calm about it, though he prefers we don't get drunk."

"Shouldn't you not be drinking then?"

I smirked down at her accusing look. "I could probably down 12 of these before I started feeling anything. It's the whole faster metabolism thing. If any of us do get drunk, it means we made a hell of a show trying too. Anyways, come walk with me." I reached a hand out and pulled her up beside me. I led her down the beach, the dead tree being my intended destination.

"Good weekend?" I asked her, after we has walked for a while.

She nodded. "Great weekend." It was amazing how beautiful she could be, even when doing the simplest of actions. I was hooked on her, but I had already known that.

"Even with all the self introspection and high speed car chases?"

"Even with all that."

It made me happy to know she was happy. I couldn't help it, and pulled her into a hug. "Good. The last thing I want is for you to regret something."

"I regret not doing this sooner."

She regretted staying with the leech instead of me? "Really?"

"Yeah. I wish I hadn't gotten involved with… Edward again. Things would be a lot less complicated now."

I reluctantly let her go and resisted the urge to pump my fist in victory. Instead I turned to her and said, "Sometimes you gotta learn the hard way."

She stopped as we reached the tree. "Something wrong?"

She looked concerned for a moment, then said, "No, just this vivid dream I had about the beach last night. Déjà vu, you know?"

"Yeah I guess." I knew she had nightmares from patrolling around her house at night, and didn't want to ruin the moment by probing any further. Instead I sat down and pulled her into my lap, silently praying that she wouldn't object. I lay back against the tree, twirling an errant strand of her hair through my fingers. She looked so peaceful, like she did during her nap yesterday. I wondered if it was the beach or me that did this to her. I hoped it was me, and couldn't bear the thought of the leech having the same effect on her.

I stared at the sky, absorbed in this moment. She'll have to go back to school tomorrow and face the parasites, so the very least she deserved was a good night tonight. I didn't even realise what I was doing until I kissed her temple and she stiffened.

Dammit. Keep your goddamned lips to yourself Jake, is that too much for her to ask? Not wanting to bother her, I made my excuses and started to get up. "Sorry, sorry, just… got caught up in the moment. I know, don't push you."

Her eyes looked hurt for a moment, and then they cleared up with new defiance. "No, Jake. You don't have to go anywhere. Stay."

I froze. "You sure?" I felt her head nod against my chest and settled back in. Stars began peaking through the faint clouds.

After a beat, she spoke again. "You deserve something better than me, Jake. Something less broken and less stuck on people who aren't good for me."

I smiled into her hair cynically. "Too bad those people aren't you, huh?"

Her laugher sounded like soft bells. "Why do you even bother with me?"

How could she not realise? I wanted to twist the leech's head off for making her so unsure of herself. "Because you're worth it and you don't know it yet." I picked her up and gently turned her to face me. "Because you're the most beautiful person I know, and I don't mean just looking at you. Because I can talk to you about things that bore most girls to death, and not only do you listen to them, you try and take an interest in them. How could I not bother with the one person that makes me feel like I'm more by her presence?"

Her face reddened. "But I've done so much wrong to you. I completely neglected you for the sake of my own happiness. I don't deserve this devotion."

That bastard. That utter shit. How dare he make her think she didn't deserve to be happy? I calmed myself by rubbing my thumb across her cheek. "What you didn't deserve was to be made to feel like so little by that bastard. That's what you didn't deserve. As for me, I'm pretty sure I don't deserve you."

My breath stopped as she reached out and put a hand against my chest. She didn't push me away, she just rested her hand against me, rubbing with her thumb. She toyed with her beer bottle with her other hand before taking a drink.

"You must think I'm frigid or a tease."

My heart broke as I heard her say that. I gripped her hand and squeezed as gently as I could. "No Bella. I could never think that. I don't think you're anything but recovering from being hurt and betrayed. I said I knew you'd come to your senses. I meant that."

I sighed. "More than anything Bella, I just wish I knew how to fix it. I'd do anything to make you happy. Even if that meant leaving you alone."

"I don't want you to leave me." She sounded frightened.

"Then I'll never leave."

She calmed down and I was pleased with myself immensely, having made her feel better with a few short words.

"You're so warm," she murmured. I laughed. I thought we had been over that point, but then she looked up at me. "You make me never want to be cold again."

She was so beautiful in that moment, as I pulled her chin up to be level with me. Her eyes were vulnerable, yet determined, and I thought maybe, just maybe she was telling me she was ready. Well if that was the case, I would do my damnedest to comply.

_Soft lips are open  
knuckles are pale  
Feels like you're dying  
You're dying_

I leaned forward and brushed my lips against hers. She smelled like strawberries and tasted light, like vanilla. I stayed there, waiting for her to push me away. When she didn't, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close to me.

She was cool, far cooler than me, but she seemed to warm up as I continued to kiss her. I was in heaven. In that moment, I was sure it couldn't get any better than this. I was proven wrong when she swung her leg around my waist and pulled herself onto my lap. My heart beat doubled as I moaned and pulled her closer to me and my voice caught in my throat as she ran her hands up and down my chest, escaping only as a growl. I wound my fingers through her hair and kissed her with new ferocity. She bit my lip and I was hard in an instant, and ground my hips into hers, moving my hands lower and lower. Sinking into her lips, this was truly the best moment of my life, finally connecting with this wonderful girl who I've come to love more than myself.

_If it's not forever_

_ If it's just tonight_

_ Oh it's still the greatest_

_ The greatest_

I continued focusing on her lips as she began to grip my shirt, twisting it in her hands. Damn, why did I have to wear a shirt today? I wasn't about to stop kissing her for fear that she might lose her nerve. I pulled her closer to me, stroking her back, when I heard a ripping noise, and suddenly her cool hands were on my bare chest.

I lost it. Grabbing her shoulders, I pulled her flush with me. She got bolder, pushing my shirt off and running her nails down my back. "Bella," I growled into her mouth, as I bit her bottom lip. I thrust my hands up the back of her shirt, fiddling with her bra. Thankfully, Sam wasn't perfect at keeping 'personal time' personal, so it only took me a moment to unclasp it. She took over, somehow pulling it off without taking her shirt off. My hands fell on her soft breasts and rubbed them through her shirt, savouring the feeling. She gasped pulling away for me, and I took the moment to look into her dreamy eyes before she pulled my mouth back down on her.

_Consumed,_

_ With what's to transpire_

I moved my hands to her waist and began to lift her shirt, brushing my fingers against her bare skin, feeling her turn to goose flesh beneath me. As I reached the bottom of her breasts, I rubbed my thumbs across the point where they met her body and she quivered. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, and my hands itched to continue further.

"Woops…"

We were both startled when he heard another voice, and turned to see Quil and Embry standing there, from behind the bench, having come from the fire.

"We, uhhhh, didn't see you there. Honest."

It was dark enough over here, and we didn't have a light, but all the same I saw Bella's eyes go wide. She leapt off me, grabbing for her bra.

"Bella, wait!" She stumbled as she evaded my hand, picked up her undergarment and took off down the beach, faster than I had ever seen her run.

I contemplated going after her, but I think I may have overstepped my welcome for the night.

"Way to go, Jake" Quil said with a goofy grin.

The sound of Bella's beer shattering on his forehead combined with his cry of "What the fuck was that for?!" was only minutely settling to my anger, so I got up and stomped towards the woods.

* * *

Bella POV

I clutched my bra to my chest and ran, praying that no one would see what I was holding. I barely caught Emily calling after me as I ran for my truck. I couldn't see Charlie's cruiser in the drive way, so I hoped that he had already gone home, but I didn't make a point in checking. Thankfully, I hadn't left my stuff at Emily's. I stuffed the offending garment in the bag on the seat, started the truck and tore out of there. Well, as fast as the Chevy could tear, which was a little faster now that Jake had fixed it.

My face was hot and I'm sure it was red. As I drove down the rode I wished I could crawl into my glove box and die. I don't think I've ever been so embarrassed in my life.

My head spun. I was angry and near tears at the same time. But surprisingly, no guilt, and that's what shocked me.

Was I actually over Edward?

What happened with Jake felt… good. It felt so good, much better than any of the aborted attempts with Edward, and my thighs were still tingling from it. Taking a moment to catch my breath as I turned a corner, I came to the realisation that, more than anything, I was mad at Quil and Embry for interrupting us. But what does that mean? How much farther did I want that to go?

I added confusion to the list of emotions I was currently dealing with.

It seemed like it took hours to get home, but I finally made it. I parked and turned the engine off, but found myself staring at my hands gripping the wheel.

"Fuck, shit, damn, piss, ass, fuck, crap, fuck, FUCK! Why can't this just be EASY?!" I shouted at the heavens, but they didn't seem to answer. Reluctantly, I got out of the car and walked through the front door. Whatever Charlie was doing, he wasn't home yet. I trudged up stairs, dropped my bag and promptly started pacing my room.

I tried to follow through and work out this problem like I was doing all my others. I tried to be sensible. But I had a very slight problem.

Whenever I tried to use my brain, the only image that came to mind was Jake's naked chest and his lips against me. The heat in my thighs wasn't cooling down. I stomped to the bathroom, stepped into the shower and turned it on cold and just stood under it, shoes on and everything, for a few minutes.

_Bella, this is stupid._

I had to agree. I got out and stripped my wet clothes off, carrying them with me to be left in a pile by my door. I tried to make myself busy by digging through my closet for my own amusement before getting dressed for bed.

My mistake there. I found it in the back of my closet, a long white cotton dress, cap sleeves, white embroidery over the front. Renee had bought it for me at craft show. I must have been going crazy, because I took off my towel and pulled it over my head. It fell over my body in an almost sheer cloud, with an empire waistline and gathered bust.

I opened my window and stuck my head out of it. The cool air did about as good a job as the shower did. So I tried to take my mind off Jake by staring at the trees, where they parted for the road that went off into the rest of Forks, my mind going through the town and then off in the direct of the Cullens.

Edward. I had thought again that I would feel guilty, but I didn't. I did however stop and realise something. Edward comes in through my window. Frequently. And I really didn't want that tonight. I shut the window and, for good measure, pushed my dresser in front of it. Sure, it was childish, but I hoped that, if he came, he would get the point.

I settled into bed, kicking the covers off immediately. The dress was far too nice to sleep in, but it would serve. I probably wouldn't be sleeping, anyhow.

I tossed and turned for a few minutes, then tried to read something. I stopped that when I read the same sentence ten times and all I could think about were Jake's arms. I sighed, turned the light off and lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

The more I tried not to think about it, the more I did. Jake's hands, arms, shoulders, chest, face, lips. I pressed my thighs together at the memory. I realised I had one hand moving absent mindedly across my collar bone, and let it come to rest on my chest. Who was I trying to kid?

It wasn't as if I hadn't masturbated before. I was, what I considered to be at least, a normal person. I had turned to it during my relationship with Edward, since we could barely touch sometimes. I had stopped completely during my zombie phase, because I didn't even want to think about happiness, nevermind experience it. After we had gotten back together, I had thought about it, but hoped that I would just be changed soon enough. Now here I was, only this time I was shaking worse than ever and hot beyond belief. It came down to a choice. Do, and go to sleep, or don't and stay up all night. I already knew which one I was choosing.

What shocked me was how easy it was. How it took nothing to allow my hand to begin stroking my breast through the cotton. How easily the dress slid past my thighs. How simple it was to pretend that my hands were his hands, my fingers, his fingers. How real his voice was as I imagined it whispering my name. I couldn't believe how good it felt, how fast it happened, and how natural it was to gasp his name as I climaxed. After it was all over I turned to my side, and pulled the covers up. I stifled a giggle as my eyes started to drift shut. How foolish was it of me to even try to cool down when I knew he was going to be setting me on fire in my dreams?

* * *

I was floating. My dress splayed out from me and the water bubbled around me, lapping at me with warm gentle waves. Above me a pale blue sky covered me, keeping the warmth in. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to drift in this heated bliss.

Eventually I washed ashore, sitting up as I felt baking wet sand beneath me. Wind blew off the water and filled the air with salt. I got up, my hair dripping but not cold, and walked towards it. There it was, the dead tree, sitting in a spot that could only belong to it. I sat down and lay on it, content to dry there.

_He_ came out from behind the log, sitting beside me. He was so beautiful, too beautiful, his topaz eyes shining, his shirtless skin not quite glinting in the overcast, but I was confused as to what he was doing here.

"Edward?" I asked, looking at him quizzically.

He chuckled and leaned over on top of me, covering me with his frame. His breath was cold as he lowered his lips and kissed me. I responded immediately, but his mouth stayed closed, pushing against me until I thought I was bruising. Icy hands shot out to grab my wrists and pin them above my head.

He was freezing cold and he made me shiver. I felt the water in my hair and on my dress turn to ice and stick coldly to my body. I moaned through my bruising mouth and tried in vain to free my hands. He pulled back and as I panted, I could see my breath. His eyes went from topaz to black to red, and I tried to scream but it stuck in my throat.

He grinned and, clenching his teeth, pressed them to my throat. I could feel them, cold as ice, and horror chilled me to the bone.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it?" He spat the last two words at me.

I shook my head. "No Edward, please no, not anymore, please…." His grip tightened on my wrists, but I couldn't feel the pain. His ice had penetrated me, and all I could feel was numb. Horrible numbness.

He laughed blackly and reared his head back, waiting to strike, when all of a sudden, I saw four copper fingers grip his shoulders and yank. He was flung away from me, and landed like a prowling cat, a black burn mark smoking where the hand had been.

Jake hauled me up next to him and cradled my head to his chest, growling at Edward. I leaned into him, so glad to be warm again, as the ice melted out of my hair.

It was then that I noticed the flames and they danced off his hair and on their way onto mine. My eyes grew wide and I looked up into his deep brown eyes. "Does it have to be like this?"

He smiled gently and nodded, fire licking down his arms onto me. "You know it does, Bella. Everything that means something has to hurt."

I nodded back, remembering the terrifying numbness, the nothing that flowed out of Edward. I whimpered and shook and he pulled me to his chest. My dress dried, followed my hair, and I closed my eyes as the fire consumed us.

We ignited and incinerated, rising off the ground. Edward was left snarling on the beach, our heat pushing his cold back into himself.

A/N: Yeah, I know, ending on another dream. It happens. *shrug*

Wow geez but that was long. I actually thought of splitting it up, but didn't think that there was a good enough place to do it, so here you go, all 12 000 words of it at once. You lucky ducks.

I hope the length doesn't scare off new readers. Let's just say when I start writing, I end when I end. Not before. The next one will probably be shorter. Well, at least my social life hopes it is, heh.

As for music, the song I used in this chapter is Kings of Leon's Sex on Fire. I find it more than applicable, and recommend listening to it. Other stuff I listened to while writing this was a lot of Sigurros, the songs being Olsen Olsen, Sæglópur, Svefn-g-englar, Hoppípolla, viðrar vel til loftárása, and Glósóli. Some beautiful, beautiful music there. Not sure if they have much to do with the writing though.

For those of you wondering where your full fledge BellaxJake lemon is – ain't I a stinker sometimes?

For those of you wondering where your JakeSolo scene to balance the BellaSolo scene is – I see a lot of UST and then the guy going to deal with it. I wanted to do something different for a change. Besides, like you all can't imagine Jake having 'alone time' *wink*.

Please read and review and tell me what you think!


	4. Blitzkrieg

A/N: Here we go again. Thanks to everyone for the reviews and to DesertWolf for grinning like a maniac. I hope that worked out for you. *winks*

I'm trying, really trying to actually read Eclipse. I mostly skimmed it and read some parts through before. I just have this problem where the book makes me really mad. I almost wanted to rip it in half when Bella called Edward her 'personal miracle' (in the first damn chapter no less.), but I can't as it's not my book. Arg. I do however know the story from various plot outlines and skimming. On that note I should mention that I'm not entirely leaving the plot of Eclipse at the curb, and according to Twilight Lexicon, this chapter is starts on Monday, June 4th. Victoria is supposed to attack on the 15th. And thus the countdown begins. Another thing on the Lexicon, I found Edward's and Bella's timetables there, but I have no idea what book they're supposed to be for (it seems like the first one), so if I switch them up a bit, it's because I believe Edward was supposed to swap some of this classes to be with Bella more. I'm basically giving them the same schedule, making Edward inescapable (If anyone was wondering why Bella wanted that weekend, you now know.) The American education system bewilders me. Six classes a day? Bwuh? Depending on the school you went to here (Ontario), you get four or eight. But, whatever.

About the chapter length, much smaller isn't all that small. Last chapter was 12 000 words. That's almost twice as long as the first chapter. I'm not about to be going down to the standard 1000 words per chapter anytime soon, but I doubt we're going to go past the 10 000 mark all that often. No worries guys.

As for BURN3's question, don't get me started. You might remember I have Jacob reference the conversation he and Bella had in Eclipse, where Jake tells her she only likes Edward because he's rich and pretty and then she vehemently denies it. After I have him do that, Bella replies that she's 'pretty dumb sometimes.' That pretty much sums up my feelings. Bella really didn't have any room to defend herself the way she did because her relationship with Edward is completely vapid. I'm pretty sure Meyer added that to the conversation in an attempt to defend how speedily the relationship between Bella and Edward went from the "let's go out" phase to the "OMG, OUR LOVE IS ETERNAL FOREVER" phase. It wasn't convincing. Sometimes I think I may be pulling Bella out of her relationship with Edward too quickly, but then I remember that she fell in love with him at light speed anyway. By comparison, I'm taking forever. In short: most pathetic response to being shit canned ever.

Anyways, without further ado:

All Bella POV

I woke up in a warm sweat again, however it was somewhat comforting this time, after the initial terror of waking up after a nightmare settled down. I crawled out of bed and headed for the shower, ignoring the red tinge my skin took on in the mirror. I set the water to cool and it again felt like I was being stabbed by little needles, but the sensation wore off quickly this time. Getting out, my skin was the same colour it always was. Stupid vivid dreams. Despite the mediocre way my day had started, I soon began humming to myself.

All in all, my weekend_ had_ been great. Sure, I was probably going to die twice choking the next time I had to face Jacob, and develop a purple complexion whenever I'm around Quil or Embry for the next while, but I still felt good. Like I was doing the right thing. Sam and the pack had accepted me as family, and as annoying and nosy some of the guys were, they were growing on me at an astounding rate. I shocked myself by being actually happy. So happy I could almost skip. But that would most likely lead to my falling down the stairs, which would ruin the whole good mood thing, so none of that.

I kept humming to myself as I fixed myself breakfast, and looking at the clock, I found that had actually woken up amazingly early, and well rested.

_Just what the doctor ordered, eh Bella? _

Silence! I will not let you ruin my mood with snark. This is a snark-free zone. And _stop_ voice smirking!

I went about frying eggs and bacon, and by the time Charlie got downstairs, I had eaten my cereal and fruit, and had his breakfast ready.

"What's this Bella?"

I smiled at him. "Nothing Dad, I just got up early today, so I made breakfast."

He quirked an eyebrow at me, then sat down and ate. Seeing that I had an entire hour before I had to leave for school, I sat down and tried to get some of the homework that I hadn't done. I hummed to myself as I figured out math problems, and was in the middle of labelling a diagram for Biology when I looked up and saw Charlie staring at me gaped mouth.

"What?"

"I… I don't think I've seen you in this good a mood in… ever, Bella."

I smiled and shrugged. "I had a good weekend, that's all."

"Maybe you should go to La Push more often then?" He said putting his coffee cup in the sink. I could hear the suggestive tone in his voice, but it didn't matter.

"Oh, definitely."

"I guess you'll want to spend time there before you have to go off to college."

I shuffled my papers around. "Actually I was thinking about doing my first semester online. I think Seattle offers classes like that." It was true. I wasn't about to leave the safety of the pack, even if it meant I would end up teaching English or something at a grade school in Forks. Hell, if worse came to worse, I'll go into catering with Emily. It's not like our lives aren't already consumed by cooking.

He dropped his paper on the table. "Who are you and what have you done with my difficult moody daughter?"

I laughed at him. "I just realised I don't really want to leave Forks yet. I just got here."

He looked at me incredulously. "And what does Edward think about all this."

I bit my lip and rolled it between my teeth. "Umm, it doesn't really matter what he thinks."

"Did he dump you again? Is that was this is?"

"No, dad." The look on his face said he didn't believe me. "Dad, it's really not like that…. I just…. Things aren't really working out. I don't think he's… what's best for me anymore." I hoped that would explain things. I didn't want to dwell on the subject, given the good mood I was in.

He scratched his head in disbelief. "Well, I'll… see what we can do about Seattle. I have to go now Bella. Have a good day."

"You too." I'm pretty sure he was still in disbelief as he walked out the door, as he stumbled into the door frame on the way out.

Seeing that I still had a few minutes before I had to leave, I quickly did the dishes and got my stuff together. Even after that, I was still going to get to school early. I got into my truck, and headed out.

I turned the radio on and tapped my hands against the steering wheel as I drove. I would have to get Emily to give me one of her compilations, now that my stereo was fixed. I was so glad that I let Emmett fix it when he got back, or else I would just be singing to myself now.

That thought, however, turned out to be a time bomb.

I planted my foot on the break and skidded to a stop. Emmett. The Cullens. The Cullens who would be at school. Where I was going now. And I was still entirely sure about how I was going to talk to Edward about this.

_I had hoped you weren't going to think about it. Sorry._

Well, there went my mood.

* * *

I hemmed and hawed for awhile about just skipping and headed straight to La Push. But I knew Jake still had school, nevermind that I still needed to work up the nerve to talk to him right now. Plus, I would actually need my education now that I was pretty sure that I would require a career now that I wasn't going to become a vampire. Also, it's not like I could avoid them forever, unless I holed myself in La Push for the rest of my life and never left.

Although that last idea sounded nice, I put the truck into first gear again with resolve and continued heading for school. As I got there, I searched the parking lot. There it was, the silver Volvo, shiny even through the cloud cover. I carefully parked my truck, taking about ten minutes more than I actually needed. As I stopped, I sat gripping the wheel for a moment before I took a deep breath and got out of the car.

_You'll do fine. I'm sure of it._

As reassuring as Jacob's voice was, it didn't really work. I dawdled by my locker, trying to draw the time out as much as possible, staring very intently at its contents so as not to look up and see Edward or Alice. By the time I was done, I only had a few minutes to get to class before I would be late. I trudged through the halls, wishing I could just hide and make it all go away.

_You got to have the fun part yesterday. Today's the work part. Better to just get it over with._

I guess. I reached the door to Mr. Mason's room and slowly, reluctantly opened it, just before the bell rang. Walking towards my seat, I looked up….

And the seat next to mine was empty.

I looked around to see if he was standing somewhere around the room, but he wasn't. I sat down bewildered.

"Where's Edward?" Asked Eric from beside me.

"I don't know."

Class began again before we could say anything more. We were doing review for our finals and I couldn't really pay attention, which was fine, because I knew most of the novels we were reviewing. Still, the class went by unbearably slow. I kept expecting the door to open, and Edward to come in with some excuse for being late. But he never did.

The same happened for all my other classes until lunch. Angela gave me the same quizzical look as to where he was in Spanish, but she held her tongue until class was over, and we headed to lunch.

"So you don't know where he is?"

"No idea."

"Is something wrong?" she asked eying me.

I could feel my palms growing damp. "Um… I should probably talk to him first… about it."

She nodded vaguely. "Oh.... _OH._" Her eyes went wide. "Well… I'm here if you need to talk to me."

"Thanks. Maybe later." It would be nice to get a female perspective on the whole thing. One who wasn't for all intensive purposes related to one of my choices, or didn't share a cosmic love-bond with the other one's boss. AKA, one who wasn't involved.

We walked towards the cafeteria, talking about other things, like tomorrow's finals. I headed through the lunch line, meeting Ben and Mike in the process. I was just starting to relax and think that I might be able to get through today without having to talk to Edward when I turned around.

And I saw them. Both of them. Sitting at the table we usually sat at.

I saw Alice first, and she looked up and glowered at me. Edward was sitting beside her, hands folded, his eyes the most intense topaz I had ever seen them. He must have overhunted to the extreme to get them that colour. Which meant he was angry. This was confirmed when his eyes darkened as they met mine. I trembled slightly, and then resigned myself to what was coming. There was no avoiding them, Ben was already walking over there. So I followed, and sat down, scooting next to Angela instead of my usual spot next to Edward. Alice's glower intensified and Ben looked at me funny. I busied myself with delicately pulling the sticker off my apple.

"Hey, Alice, Edward. Where were you this morning?" Angela asked, trying to keep everyone in check.

"Hiking." Said Alice shortly. "Jasper and Edward forgot something at their campsite over the weekend. Silly really."

"Oh." Angela nodded. "Was your trip good at least?"

Edward nodded. It was not his usual graceful motion, but a sort of jerky, careful gesture. "It was very invigorating."

"Oh." Angela swirled her pudding around its container, and a silence fell on the table until Mike spoke up.

"Well what did you do Alice?"

Alice smiled, her teeth flashing. "I was supposed to spend the weekend with Bella, but she had other plans. Didn't you Bella?"

Thanks a lot, Alice. "Uh, yeah."

"Well, what did you do?" Ben asked.

"Yes, Bella, what did you do? I think we would be very interested to know, wouldn't we Edward?" Alice's hard smile turned towards me, and Edward gave another slight, sharp nod. Ben looked at me expectantly. Oh, _shit._

_Just tell them. No reason to break it to the leeches nicely when they're the ones being pricks about._

Could you just not?

_It's more fun this way._

I ignored the laughter in my head and started. "I, um, had to go with my dad to a barbecue. It was a football thing. The games were kind of boring, but the food was good."

"Oh, that doesn't sound too bad," said Mike.

"Where did you go for the barbeque, Bella?" Alice asked, sounding overly cheerful.

I looked at her, utterly unimpressed. "La Push. Jake's dad invited us. And I stayed at my friend Emily's house the night before so I could help with the food." If she wasn't going to be nice, neither was I.

Alice's smile disappeared and Edward snapped his plastic spoon is three pieces as he squeezed his hand shut. "Stupid breakable cutlery." He set the pieces down on his tray. Thankfully, no one made much of it.

"Who's Jake?" asked Mike.

"We went to the movies with him Mike. And, um, you saw him here a few days ago."

Mike's eyes widened. "You mean that massive guy? That's the same guy we went to the movies with?"

"That would be Jake." I shoved my pizza in my mouth, rendering myself unable to say more.

"So it was just a nice, family get together then?" asked Edward, trying to sound friendly. He probably convinced the others with that, but I could tell that anger was bubbling under the surface.

The voice in my head scoffed. _What right does he have to be angry? He tried to have you kept in a house, where his little sister could watch you._

Yeah, I thought. It's not like I'm breaking up with him on some whim. It's been heading to this ever since he got back, and his actions only got it there faster. I'm not the only one who should be experiencing guilt here.

_Go for the gut punch._

I shook my head, swallowing. "No, a lot of people where there. Sam Uley and the Clearwaters, and all of Jake's friends. You know, the whole _pack_ of them." Angela looked distressed as I stared intensely at Edward. Ben and Mike just looked confused. Alice glowered harder, if that was even possible. Edward simply gave an impossibly tight smile.

"That sounds nice Bella."

"It was." His eyes were getting even darker. I figured I had instigated enough trouble for one day, and I was about to lose my confidence, and fast, so I got up and dumped my tray, heading to Biology early. Edward didn't follow behind me, but he was there in class.

"We need to talk," he whispered to me, as class started.

"After school," I whispered back. I think I took the most detailed notes I had ever taken in my life.

* * *

Gym had passed too quickly. I took my time packing up and walking out, and by the time I got to my locker, most people had already left. I packed my stuff up slowly and headed out the doors. Edward was waiting for me, by a post. I could see Alice standing by the Volvo.

I chewed on the thumb a moment, before squeaking out, "Hey."

Edward just glared at me. "Alice is going to take your truck to your house. We'll talk in the car."

Growling filled my head, as I shook it no. "No, I don't think so, Edward."

His eyes were almost black now. "What?"

"I said I wasn't going with you."

He ran a hand through his hair, gritting his teeth. "Bella, what you did was very foolish. An entire weekend surrounded by _them?!" _He hissed the last word at me. "You're lucky you're not in pieces."

Tears started to cloud my eyes. He didn't trust me enough to trust my judgement. And it didn't look like things were going to change. I had to do this now, it just hurt so much. Everything that means something has to hurt. I thought it at the same time Jacob's voice said it to me.

"Edward, they would never hurt me."

"They have no control!" He gripped my wrist and I squeaked. Immediately he calmed and he hand came up to brush hair out of my eyes, but he didn't let go. I turned away.

"I'm sorry."

"You shouldn't talk about losing control."

"I know, I know, I was just so worried. I don't know what I'd do if they–"

I cut him off. "Stop. I can't take that again. Do you know how stressful it is to know what you'd do if I got hurt. It hangs over my head."

"Your safety is the same to me Bella. You can't go over there again."

"I will go there anytime I want to Edward!"

"Bella, I almost lost you once. I can't lose you again!"

"You already have!"

His eyes narrowed and I could feel the hair prick up on my neck. "Bella, what are you saying?"

Tears rolled down my cheeks and I sniffed. "It's over Edward. I don't want this anymore."

"Bella no…"

"I don't want to be like you."

"Then you don't have to! I didn't even want to!"

I shook my head. "No, I can't live like this. I can't live with you dictating my life."

"I'm only trying to look after you."

"I don't need you to do that anymore. I still love you. I always will. Just not like I used to. It isn't fair to either of us."

His eyes looked wild. "Bella, I… I went mad when I thought you were dead, I can't just let you go now, I can't!"

His grip tightened, and I felt pain surge up my arm.

"Edward, let go."

"Bella, please, you can't do this!"

"Edward, you need to let go!"

"We have to just talk about this."

"Edward! You're hurting me!"

I tried to tug away from him with no avail. His hand was solidly, crushingly locked around my wrist, and sadness poured from his eyes. It hurt, my wrist and my heart, they both hurt so much to see him in pain, even if I had to do it. Even if it was necessary. He was lost to the world, telling me how much he loved me and that he couldn't leave me now, not after all we went through. I don't even think he was paying attention anymore, he seemed to be doing what was the vampire equivalent of hyperventilating. I was only vaguely aware of something tapping his right shoulder when he turned to face behind him, finally letting go.

_ CRACK!_

The sound was deafening and wrung in my ears. Edward stumbled to the side and went sprawling down, clutching his jaw. His face looked horribly twisted, and I watched, terrified, as he moved his jaw back into place with a sickening crunch. He shook his head and tried to get up, only to sit back down, still disoriented from the blow.

There, in front of me, standing over him, was Ve, right arm still extended from the vicious haymaker she had just given Edward, pale eyes blazing with lightning. Her eyes slid from him to me, locking with my eyes, and my nervousness instantly left me again. She flicked her eyes over my shoulder, and then clutched her right hand, screaming.

"Fucking _ow_, what the fuck is your face made out of, steel?!!" She rubbed her hand and cradled it to her chest. Edward was still unable to get up from the floor.

"What the hell is going on out here? What was that noise?" I turned to see Mr. Banner from Biology and my Gym teacher, Coach Clapp approaching behind us.

Ve stepped forward, hissing in pain. "My apologies gentlemen." She tried to move her hand and moaned in pain. "I saw this boy accosting my friend, and the self-defence classes kicked in. Are you alright Bella?"

I nodded, clutching my own wrist. Mr. Varner eyed Edward.

"I believe Cullen is Swan's boyfriend," Coach Clapp said to him.

"Ex-boyfriend," I mumbled.

Coach Clapp looked at Edward with disdain and then hauled him off the ground. "You're going to the office Mr! I won't tolerate the treatment of young ladies like that!" They headed off inside the building, Edward still trying to shake the punch off.

Ve looked up apologetically at Mr. Banner. "I'm very sorry to have done that sir, but I wasn't left with many options. He seemed to be hurting her. Take a look at her wrist."

Mr. Banner asked to see my arm, and I obliged. "Ms. Swan, this is going to bruise, you're lucky…" He looked at Ve and she supplied her name. "Ve was here. Do you want to come into the office and make a report?"

I shook my head. "No sir, I'll be ok."

"Well at the very least bring your friend to the teachers' lounge with me and we'll ice her hand. She sounds like she hurt it."

"Oh, it's alright sir," She began.

"No no, I insist. I don't know what self defence classes you took, but it sounded like you punched a hole in some pavement." He turned down the hall to lead us, and Ve followed him. As we walked she looked me, turned her wrist in a full rotation, wriggled her fingers, and winked. Thankfully, the lounge was only down the hall, which is probably why they heard Edward and I arguing in the first place. Mr. Banner put some ice in a bag and handed to her.

"Here you go."

"Thank you very much." She smiled her brilliant smile at him as she put it on her hand.

"You'll have to excuse me, but I haven't seen you before, though you do look a little old to be in high school."

She laughed. "I was visiting family in La Push when I met Bella this weekend. We were going to eat dinner together before she had to study for her finals." I was jealous of her ability to lie so fluidly. I don't think I even said anything about having finals tomorrow.

Mr. Banner frowned. "No offense, but I had heard that some of the people on the reservation don't like the Cullens. I hope this has nothing to do with this."

She looked perfectly confused. "That was a Cullen? I didn't even realise. Hmm." Her eyes flicked open wider, and somehow her expressiveness made her seem all the more genuine. She had to have known what he was, she would have smelled him. I'm surprised Edward didn't notice her come behind him.

Mr. Banner eyed her and then nodded. "I trust it won't happen again?"

"No sir, I wouldn't think it. But we really should be going. Thanks for the ice." She handed the bag back to him and got up to leave. "Come on Bella."

I gave Mr. Banner a final look as I headed for the door. The bag he held up no longer hand ice in it, only water, even though Ve had only touched it for a few minutes. "Funny," he said, feeling the bag, brow furrowed. "It's not cold."

Ve was already headed out the door, and I followed quickly behind her. Once we walked down the hall, she let go of her hand wriggling her fingers. "Well, that was an experience."

I nodded, looking at her hand. It wasn't even red. The screaming was only for Mr. Banner's benefit. You would never know that he had just ploughed her first through a vampire's stony jaw unless she told you. And then you wouldn't believe her unless you saw it.

She continued to head out the door, with me in tow behind her. She turned to me. "Do you mind if we actually do get dinner? I would like it very much if we were to talk."

She had a funny way of putting things, even in comparison to Edward, but it made her endearing. "Um, sure."

Her white smile glittered across her face. "I know you were adverse to the small Cold One taking your truck, but I happened to nearby with Quil. He was showing me some of the more wooded areas actually in Forks for reference. He has his license, so would it be fine if he returned your truck to your house while we ate?"

I know that I just refused the same to Edward, but, somehow, the fact that she asked me instead of telling me made a world of difference. "Alright."

We headed off the school lot and across the street, where Quil was waiting in Ve's cherry red Mustang. His knuckles were white from gripping the door. "Are you alright Bella?" His brow knit together in concern.

I nodded. "I'm alright Quil."

"That was kind of scary. One minute we were driving, and the next she breaks and then leaps out of the car. I've never seen anyone move that fast. I didn't even see _her_ move that fast, she was behind the leech in a blink of an eye. Then POW! He goes flying!" He swung his fist for effect. "I know you, uh, liked that leech, Bella, but you have to admit, that was some punch!"

Ve smiled at him. "She saw it too, Quil. Would you please take her vehicle home for her and leave her keys there? If Chief Swan is there, tell him I met her for dinner and will have her home well before dark. I'm sure he'll understand."

He nodded and hopped out of the car. "Sure thing boss." I handed him my keys. "And, uh, Bella, sorry about… you know, yesterday."

I felt my face grow hot and I headed for the passenger seat, not meeting his eyes. "Yeah, sure Quil. No problem." I said quickly. Well, at least he apologised. Ve patted his shoulder and got in the car.

"You made quite the impression yesterday."

I'm sure my face was purple. "You heard about that, then."

"Jacob phased right after you left, and I must admit I was curious as to why he wanted to kill two of his pack mates."

"Oh."

"I wouldn't worry little sister. The impression you left was all good." Looking into her eyes, I felt reassured, and stopped feeling embarrassed. "Is there some place to eat near here?"

"There's a local sort of hot dog and hamburger place a few blocks away, on Main. One of the things you walk up the window to."

"It will suit." She started the car and drove off.

* * *

I looked at her hand on the wheel as she pulled out, still bewildered at what had just happened. How did she do that, and how did she even sneak up on him like that? Alice was at the Volvo, and she didn't even have time to intercept her. I know Jacob had always said that I underestimated werewolves, but it was still unbelievable that she broke, or at least dislocated, his jaw so easily.

"You're confused about something?" She said, suddenly, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah… I was wondering how you did that."

"Which thing exactly?"

"Sent Edward down for the count."

She chuckled, shaking her head. "You're wondering how he didn't smell me."

"Yeah," I started. "And how you hit him that hard."

She looked me over, appraising me with her ice blue eyes. "Well let's start with the first one. You notice I am wearing perfume."

I nodded. All yesterday, she had this slightly spicy scent lingering around her, sort of a Christmas type of smell. "Its cloves or something."

She nodded back. "Yes, clove oil. It does wonders masking things. Works the other way around too, if they were wearing it."

"So just plain clove oil?"

She laughed. "Generally, you make it a little more carefully, pressing it at night during the right time of the month, using the right concentrations, and having the right people do it, but other than that, it is just clove oil."

"And then vampires can't smell you."

"No, little sister. They smell me. But they only smell the cloves. It isn't made to be stealthy. This isn't the first treaty concocted between members of the Council and the Cold Ones. This treaty is unusual in the subject matter, but we've worked with vampires when dealing with larger threats before. The clove oil simply makes us tolerable to each other. It's just that your friends aren't aware of its use. Handy for me, until they realise they will always smell cloves when I am around."

"And hitting him that hard?"

"Pft," she exhaled rolling her eyes. "That was just a warning shot. The next time he touches someone in my pack, I'll actually send him flying."

"Oh… wait, what?"

"I've had more than a few years to develop my strength, nevermind that it is supernaturally enhanced."

"No, not that. Your pack?"

"Ah. You see, as a High Elder of the People of the Wolf, it is my responsibility to represent those among us that don't have their own representation. The Quileute are such an example, and while I am with them, they are ostensibly my pack. To my understanding, you are to be included in that number, as their family or mates would be. Am I mistaken in this?"

"No, I suppose not."

"Then you're worried about my promise not to kill them?"

I nodded.

"Yes, I thought so," she said, sighing. "Ordinarily, death would be the correct response for a Cold One harming someone under the protection of the Council. However, I did make a promise, and we were in public. Besides, I believe his death would distress you. I will not, however, tolerate him taking liberties with your person. While I do honestly worry about your wrist, to do violence on any member of the Council is to do violence on all of us. In such a case, I have not only the right, but the requirement to retaliate in full force. It is like I said before. I speak for the Council and must put them before my own honour."

Ve might possibly be the most responsible person I've ever met. "What about all the other stuff?"

"Such as?"

"How did you know everyone's name?"

Her brilliant smile peaked through her lips again. She also has possibly the whitest teeth I've ever seen. "I keep forgetting they are so young. They can't even feel them."

"Feel what?"

"Their wolves."

"What?"

"You know about our ability to communicate with each other when phased, right?

I nodded.

"Well, that connection is always with us, even when we aren't phased. However, most young shape shifters can't feel it, because it's so foreign to them. It takes some time to get in touch with it. Given their traditions, very few Quileute ever get in touch with it. Similarly, other types of shape shifters will call it feeling their bears and so on. In some ways, we are more alike than we think."

"So you 'felt their wolves.'"

She laughed. "Well, I talked to them. Normally I do not take such liberties, but they so wanted me to be impressive that I couldn't help having a little fun."

"Oh."

"Don't worry little sister."

"What? Why?"

"You think you're bothering me with the questions. Quite the opposite really. It's lovely to meet someone so interested in learning the ways of the Council. You're the first person to work up the courage to ask anything. Which is such a pity, because they know so very little."

"Really?"

"Yes. They still think the council is comprised only of shape shifters."

My eyes went wide. "Whaaat? It isn't?"

She threw her head back and laughed. "I doubt the Benandanti appreciate being called shape shifters."

"Who?"

"Italian dream walkers. Very interesting people. Very secretive too. But we can't know everything, now, can we?"

"Are they the only ones?"

"No, no. Shape shifters may make up the majority, but there are others."

I stared at the trees going by, my head reeling from all this new information. Looking in the side view window, I stared at the car behind us. It seemed familiar.

In fact, it was very familiar.

It was a silver Volvo.

"Oh, not again. Ve, they're–"

"Yes, I know they are following us. They have been for the last five minutes. Is this the place you meant?"

She pulled into the parking lot of the food stand. My stomach did a little dance as I watched the Volvo park across the street and stay there. Edward and Alice got out and sat on a bench.

"Don't worry about them," said Ve, shutting her door. "If they bother you, I will toss the little one down the street and send your Edward to find her."

I found myself chuckling at the thought of Alice flying through the air, even though it was horrible. We walked up to the counter. Ve ordered four hotdogs with the works and some nachos. "Junk food is so novel, isn't it? Do you want anything?"

"Sure, I'll get some chili fries and a cherry lemonade."

"Oh, make that two cherry lemonades." She smiled and paid the girl working the cash.

We sat down, Ve turned away from the Cullens and I facing them. She proceeded to dig in as I looked across the street. Even from here I could make out the severely confused looks on both Edward's and Alice's face.

"Oh, they're wondering a few things."

"Are you psychic too."

She snorted, laughing. "Not as you'd define one."

"Then how do you… all that other stuff?"

She wiped her mouth with a napkin and locked her eyes with mine. Again, I felt braver. "Ah, that. That's a blessing I was given when the Council gave me honours after a particularly successful battle. What better gift to give a general than the ability to inspire courage with a look?"

"They can do that?"

"The Council can do a lot of things." She took another bite of her hot dog.

"And you can read people's minds and emotions?"

She shook her head chuckling. "My tribe are, well, were more mystically inclined. It makes us apt learners of other abilities, when they can be taught. I learned how to parse out surface thoughts from a friend. A very lovely friend actually. Perhaps I shall take you to meet him one day, I think he'd find you most interesting."

"So you _can_ read minds?"

"No, only the surface most thought. And even then, I need you to think it, well, rather loudly to do so. It's extremely difficult to do, and I generally need to be completely at rest to do it. Not so useful in battle, and only slightly helpful in diplomacy. Really, it's more of a parlour trick."

"And the emotions?"

"I don't read emotions."

"Then how do you know mine all the time?"

"I do not mean to brag, but my senses are incredibly refined."

I stared at her, bewildered. "So you… taste emotions."

She threw her head back in a boisterous laugh. "Well, I suppose you could say that. What I mean is that I can detect minute changes in a person. The heart beat rising a little, when they begin to perspire slightly, their eyes widening, if they're hand is even a little unsteady, even their smell changing. And when I mean a little, I mean very little, so little that most people aren't able to detect these changes happening to themselves. After a while, you can tell what those changes mean. When a person is angry or confused or happy. It's something that comes with age."

"Oh."

"It's not exact, mind you. Depending on the person, you heart rate could rise if you were angry or jealous. Sometimes it's difficult to figure out what means what, but I get a generally good idea."

"And Edward and Alice?"

She chuckled. "They're screaming their thoughts, and everything about them just says 'I am extremely puzzled.'"

"What are they wondering."

"Their most present thought is simply 'What the hell is happening?' I can however make a few educated guesses. For instance, they're wondering who and what I am."

"Because you don't smell like a werewolf, but you were able to clock Edward?"

"Exactly. Next, I believe Edward is the one who can read minds and this Alice is the fortune teller?"

"Yes."

"Well, then, Alice is probably wondering why she can't see your future, or mine for that matter, as, from Jake, I gather that she can't see the future of shapes shifters, and Edward is wondering why he can't read my mind."

"Edward can't use his power on you either?"

"It's not like you, little sister. I don't have the natural ability. It is simple shielding and grounding though, any qualified mystic could teach it to you. I would suppose that you would have to be well practiced to for it to work against that Cold One. He really is trying hard. It's a little distracting."

"Anything else?"

"They're no doubt wondering why they can't hear us."

"Why can't they hear us?" This is possibly the most confusing conversation I've ever had, even if she is making sense of it all eventually.

"May I see your hand?" She reached out for me.

I laid my hand in hers and she took it and placed it on her neck. It took a moment to feel, but it was like she was talking when she wasn't. Her throat vibrated with sound I couldn't hear. "What are you doing?"

"It's something else peculiar to my tribe. Our shape shifters have two voice boxes. I can produce both infra- and ultrasonic tones. Even beyond the range of vampire hearing. I can also do a few other vocal tricks. For instance, to them right now, it sounds like we're in a crowd, even though we're the only ones sitting here."

"Woah."

She grinned at me between taking sips of her lemonade. "That's pretty much it, besides your generic high temperature and metabolism and everything. We're generally shorter and faster than the Quileute, if that's significant." It was true. Jacob was about a head taller than she was, though she still had to be over six feet taller, and Quil did say he didn't even see her until she was at Edward.

"But you're so strong!"

"I told you in the car, little sister. When you have a lot of time on your hand, the muscle builds. You should meet my friend Renault. They call Rennie 'Great Bear' for a very good reason. He could put me to shame. Now, little sister, I've talked a lot, why don't you tell me about you. How did we get into the situation of bruised wrists and knockout punches in the first place?"

My heart flopped in time with my stomach until I looked into her eyes again. I took a deep breath and started from the beginning. I told her about my first week at Forks, Edward avoiding me, the incident in Port Angeles and James. Then I told her about my birthday, Edward leaving and my time with Jacob, all the way up to going to Italy.

"He was going to kill himself? That's why you went?"

I nodded slowly, remembering how I felt when I thought he was gone.

She scoffed. "How utterly selfish."

I looked up at her. "What? No, he really cared for me. I reacted almost the same. Don't get mad at him for that."

She shook her head, a slow anger building in her light eyes. "How can I not? He leaves you for no other reason than his own selfishness, because he decides himself that he knows what's best for you, though I must agree with him that you remaining human is for the best. Then, with no care for his family, he leaves and rejects them because he can't come to terms with what he wants from you. And finally, to top it all off, he decides to walk into the sun in a crowd full of people? How utterly self aggrandising."

"What do you mean?"

"Let us pretend for a moment that the Volturi Guard did not get to him and he actually made it into the sunlight. You say you were in the middle of a crowded square?"

"Yeah it was some sort of festival."

"How many of those people do you think the Volturi would have allowed to live after having seen Edward in the sun?" Her eyebrows rose as she asked the question.

I stared at my eyes thinking it over. If Edward had walked into the sun, those people would know something is wrong with him. And they're willing to kill me for knowing exactly what that is, how lenient would the same people who slaughtered an entire bus full of people be? After all it wasn't the first tour bus they killed either.

My eyes became round discs. "Oh God, they would kill them like they did the tourists."

She grimaced. "That I can't imagine either. Being in a position to save those people and doing nothing so he could get you out. Not to say you are less worthy than anyone else, Bella, but I haven't been able to afford that kind of selfishness for years. But I suppose my worries are not his. Still, I do not know how it does not weigh on his mind. They were innocents." She crumpled another napkin as he finished her last hotdog.

"He's… well, I thought he was like Carlisle. All human life is important and all."

She scoffed again. "That is hardly true. I have seen my fair share of people who deserved their punishments, including death. Those tourists however, did not. Nothing is worse than watching someone die who does not deserve it. When your job is to keep people safe, watching that makes you feel like you've achieved nothing. That's it's all been for naught." She piled her garbage together and stood up. "Well, let's go. We have to get you home."

* * *

We threw our stuff out and headed to the car. As I got in I looked to the bench. Alice and Edward we're still sitting there, still looking bewildered. I heard a laugh from beside me and turned to see Ve waving to them as she started the car and backed out of the parking lot.

"You'll have to forgive me, but I do enjoy antagonising vampires. They always get so upset when they realise that they don't, in fact, know everything."

"It's ok. They're the ones who followed us."

"Indeed. I am generally of the opinion that vampires are selfish by nature, but that could just be me."

"The Volturi seem pretty selfish."

"They also don't know everything. They still think they've hunted European and Asian werewolves to near extinction."

"Why would they think that?"

"One of their members managed to figure out that we didn't just kill them when we came across them. We were hunting them. They aren't always ignorant either, as it turns out. Granted, they put a heavy dint in our numbers, but they mostly just pushed us into hiding."

"I would have thought that they would be trying to get the Council to lay off them."

She smirked as we turned a corner. "They don't know about the Council."

"Really?" This just got weirder and weirder.

"Well, they realise supernatural creatures besides themselves exist. They also realise that many of these creatures highly dislike them. They just don't realise that we're connected. They know about us, but not that we work together, though others of their kind do. They're also under the current assumption that a great number of those creatures are now dead thanks to them. For the best really. When they believe they moved unchecked, it allows us to watch more of them. And then they pay the price for their arrogance."

"What do you mean others know?"

"Much as the Volturi would like everyone to think so, they aren't the only ancient Vampires around. Some Cold Ones are even better at hiding than they are at finding. I am in no way suggesting that the Volturi aren't dangerous. They have been foremost in interest to the Council ever since we found out about them, which was before my time, and before the Council had grown to include the Americas, and, given the opportunity or reason, I'm fairly certain that they still could devastate our numbers. Nor am I saying they aren't knowledgeable. I have assumed that you have been told things by these Cullens, and what I'm trying to get across is that all is not as they believe it to be."

I nodded and stayed silent, trying to absorb all that information. I remembered when I thought Edward was like Spiderman and thought how much more simple it was then, before vampire high councils and inter-species alliances. We were nearing my house when I spoke again.

"Why do you think so little of vampires?"

She sighed. "Yes, it is a bias on my part. But I have seen them continuously think higher of themselves than they really are. Particularly as they are telling me how violently they're going to kill me. Hazard of the job I guess." She frowned. "There are a few more specific reasons, but I do not wish to talk about them at the moment. My apologies."

"It's fine Ve, I think I've learned enough for one day."

She smiled. We turned on my street and stopped before the driveway. The truck was on the street, as promised. I thanked her and made to get out of the car before she put a hand on my arm, stopping me.

"Bella, besides those two Cold Ones who followed us, are there any others that have a reason to enter your house?"

Something about her tone of voice bothered me. "No, why?"

She crinkled her nose. "Someone has been here, and I don't recognise the scent. Stay behind me." She got out and headed up the stairs to my house. Coming behind her, she stopped after she got in the front door and sniffed. "They didn't' come in this way. No scent on this entire floor."

Charlie walked in through the kitchen. "Oh, you're home Bella. Here, Quil left these." He handed me my keys.

Ve nodded towards Charlie. "Hello Chief Swan. Bella was just going to show me something. We won't be a minute."

"Oh that's alright Ve. And call me Charlie." I don't know what it was about my dad and werewolves, but he seems to like every single one he meets almost instantly.

Charlie headed back into the kitchen and Ve turned to me. "They aren't still here, but I still want to check what they were doing upstairs." I nodded and followed her up. She walked up the stairs two at a time and paused at the top for a moment, before heading to my room. Again she stopped at the door, and then walked towards the window.

"They came in through here." She sniffed again. "Then it's all over. Like they were looking for something." She walked through my room, her odd eyes sliding over my belongings. "It is strongest here," she pointed to my bed, "here," then my dresser, "and here," and then my hamper

I looked my bed over. Something was wrong about it. It took me a few scans of it before I realised just what it was. "One of my pillows is missing." I walked to the hamper and started counting through it. At least one day's worth of clothes were missing. "What the hell?"

Ve was standing in front of the dresser. "Did you leave this drawer open when you left?"

I walked over to her. My sock drawer was open. "No…"

She inhaled deeply again. "None of the Cullens are new vampires I assume?"

I shook my head.

"It smells like newborn."

I looked at her. "Seattle. In the paper there were murders in Seattle and Edward said it sounded like a newborn. But why would they steal my socks?"

Ve's expression hardened as she met my eyes. "That depends on who made the newborn."

Who made the–? Oh, no. "Victoria."

Ve shut her eyes and looked like she was trying to listen to something. Slowly, her eyes began to move back and forth like she was dreaming.

"Ve, what are you doing?"

"Telling Sam that I want two people on your house at all times during the night in addition to patrols."

"You can do that?"

She put her hand up. "It's like I said, talking with your wolf. Now shh, you're distracting me. It's harder to do when you're actually talking to someone and not just trying to access their memories."

He eyes moved behind her eyelids a few times more, then opened her eyes. "They'll be over here soon. You need to stay here. Hopefully we'll get this sorted out tomorrow when I formally meet with the Cullens. I think I may know what's going on, but it's too early to tell. They should be alerted as it is. They got you into this mess." She walked towards the door. "I have to go talk with Sam. Will you be alright, or would you like me to stay here until they get here?"

I thought about Victoria and her eyes bearing down on me. "Could you stay?"

She nodded.

She sat down on my computer chair backwards, leaning her arms against the back rest and tapped her fingers against it. I sat on the bed and chewed my thumb.

After a moment she looked up at me. "So, what is your preferred way of having me distract you from thoughts of being eaten? I could tell you about the time me and Rennie got caught in a cavern after an avalanche and devised a plan for him to chew his way through rock until we realised that there was another opening on the other side of it, if the misadventures of two shape shifters intrigues you."

I laughed in spite of myself. "That sounds great."

She scooted the chair closer, and her eyes grew bright as she began talking. "It all started with one of Rennie's famous games of 'Try to Toss the Werewolf.'"

A/N For the record, this is all of 4000 words shorter than the last chapter. This would be what I'm calling much *winks*

As for music, I've got a big list: Charlotte, What I Always Wanted, and Paper Doll by Kittie; Pet, The Noose, Weak and Powerless and Magdalena from A Perfect Circle, and Shock Me Peter by Johnny Hollow. I think the Noose would be the one to go with, if I have to give one that actually influenced the writing.

Please review, I love reading them, and even if you don't, thanks for reading!


	5. Summit

A/N: Well I have… surprisingly little to say. As for the questions, I think vinh is asking how to pronounce Ve, in which case, it's just like how you say the letter, and as for rainydaygirl11, I don't really have an actress in mind with I think of her because she's not very actressy looking, ie the muscles. Think Michelle Rodriguez circa Girlfight only taller, slightly bulkier, and looks nothing like her (just similar body builds). The best I can give you for hair is Kate Walsh, when she had long hair, but that's mostly hair, you know, the sort darker brownish red. Eyes? Kate Beckinsale's contacts from Underworld. Actually, her face from that movie works pretty well too. Pleasant to look at , but pretty scary with the right expression So, let's see that leaves us with Kate Beckinsale circa Underworld with Kate Walsh's hair and Michelle Rodriguez's build from Girlfight, only bigger, taller and a more 'Native' complexion. This is what you get for asking about stuff in my head I guess. ^_^;;;

Oh there is one thing. Since I made the timeline change to put Alice kidnapping her on the weekend, I shifted some other things. Basically, some things are going to line up with Eclipse more, but I'm putting them at later dates. For instance, Bella's going to graduate a week later than in Eclipse. Also, screw it, Jake's birthday is November 28th, 1989. I keep looking for when it is, and I know it's supposed to be in Bella's zombie phase because she just misses it. I know the Lexicon says 1990, but, whatev. He's still two years younger.

Anyways:

All Bella POV:

"So he's screaming at me, 'I don't know 'ow you can stand here all calm, wind blowing through your fucking 'air through all of this, because, Ve, _on s'est fait baiser!_'" Ve's arms moved in sharp jerks as she tried to impersonate an eight foot tall, barrel-chested, enraged French Canadian for her story.

"What does that mean?"

"It means 'we're fucked!' Anyways, after that I realise, wait, wind IS blowing through my hair. So I leave him there, still screaming about how we're trapped behind a thousand feet of ice and run through the cave, only to find it's _fucking open_ on the other side and we spent _ten hours _trying to dig through a thousand tonnes of ice for _nothing._ And when Rennie catches up with me, you should have heard him swear! _"Tabernac de ostie de __baptême de sacrament!"_

"Sacrament?"

She laughed. "Bad words for the average American are bodily functions. For Quebeckers, they're church objects. Rennie swearing sounds like he's cataloguing a chapel inventory. Basically he runs down an entire list of the _sacres _before he finishes with a nice 'whoring Mother of God' and begins to trudge down the mountain only to trip from his own anger and roll 400 feet. It takes me an hour to get down there because I am laughing so hard and when I do, he's already become a bear and is smashing trees together." She wiped a tear away and shook her head. "I have never laughed so hard in my life."

I scrunched my face together, trying to picture an enormous bear swinging a tree like a baseball bat, and burst out laughing at the result. I was shocked at how normal the story turned out to be, even though it involved giant man-bears. The last bit sounded like a mishap I would have on a snowy mountain.

After she stopped laughing Ve got up and returned the chair. "They are here. You're not going to see them outside, but that's probably better." She went to my dresser. "I'm going to take a pair of your socks. They have the vampire's scent on it. Useful for tracking." She turned back to me. "It's still light out. Try to get some studying in before you go to sleep."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks mom."

She smiled at me, patted my back and headed out.

I turned to my homework. Really, the only classes I were worried about come finals were Trig and Government. Well, and Gym, but I had already given up on that. I actually managed to get through about a page of math questions when I thought of Victoria and lost my concentration. The same thing happened after only a chapter of my Government textbook. I had managed to kill a few hours, so I thought I might as well go to bed early, if I could.

I changed and lay down, trying to banish the thought of being tortured and eaten from my mind, but Victoria and her dark red eyes kept returning.

_Try thinking of something pleasant?_

Why the hell not? I thought of Ve's story, of joking with Emily, of the barbecue, and even of kissing Jake, and, amazingly, found myself drifting off.

* * *

The dream happened again. This time it was different. I opened my eyes, expecting warmth and saw that my beach was frozen over. I was numb, so numb it was hard to see and hear. I turned and saw Edward running at me. I became frightened, but then saw that he didn't look fierce. He looked s_cared._ He was screaming something that I couldn't hear until he got close.

"RUN BELLA!! GET OUT OF HERE!!"

He got to me and ran past me, and I whipped around to see him tackle _her,_ her hair a burning red against an icy beach. They screamed and snarled as they fought, and I stood there, shocked with terror, as Edward clawed at Victoria. Suddenly, something moved beside me and I swirled around to see more of them, vampires without definition or gender. All I could make out were their horrible red eyes. I backed away, and then ran, tears blurring my eyes, knowing I would never get away from all of them and that Edward would die. I didn't even notice the sand turning from ice to wet when I slammed into Jake and his arms wrapped around me. I turned to see the faceless vampires stop and the air filled with growling. Beside Jake on both sides was the pack, teeth bared and ready to pounce. They leapt forward and phased, tearing into the faceless vampires, and I didn't even have time to scream as they set the whole beach on fire.

I woke up, confused. The dream usually ended with Jake and I rising into the air. Feeling my palms I wasn't even sweating. Then I heard something from outside.

Looking at the clock it was four in the morning, and it was still pitch black. The noise came again and I realised that it sounded like rustling. Then I heard snarling and a great slapping noise. I ran to the window and threw it open, almost falling as I leaned out to see what I was going on. _Something_ was moving around in the trees beside my house.

My eyes went wide and I wondered if I should call Sam or someone, as I watched a tree shudder and heard more noises. I was frozen on the spot, watching the trees and bushes shake. It started to get more violent and I heard what sounded like a high barking and then a crash. I was shaken out of my stupor by the sound of footsteps on my roof beside my window. I turned my head, expecting to see Victoria crawling across towards me.

Instead, it was Leah. I grabbed my chest. "Leah, you scared the shit out of me."

She leaned against my windowsill, red-faced and panting. "Sorry… Bella… didn't mean… to worry."

"What the hell is going on? Charlie may be able to sleep through an earthquake, but this is pushing it!"

She waved her hand towards the trees, still panting. "It's… fucking leech."

I paled. "Victoria?"

"No." She leaned against her knees, trying to catch her breath. "Edward…. He's been out there…," she waved her hand, "All fucking night…. And he's… fast motherfucker." Another tree shuddered and more barking came from below. "Aw fuck… not again…"

"What is he doing out there? And why are you in a dress?" She was wearing a blue sundress, and looked sort of ridiculous standing barefoot on my roof.

"It's just…" she panted again," Goddamn…. Can I get a glass of fucking water first?"I grabbed the glass off my night table and ran to the bathroom. When I came back and handed it to her, she downed half of it in one gulp and threw the rest on her face. "Ah, much better," she said, only panting a little now. "It's easier than having to carry around pants and a shirt. One-piece clothing is the way to go when you have to phase."

I guess it made sense. "Now what is he doing out there?"

"He came to see you about five hours ago." She caught her breath again before she continued. "Or something. I don't really know, but when he found us out here he started throwing a fit, saying he wouldn't let us hurt you. Us hurt you? Bullshit." She gave up on leaning and sat down. "He's been trying to get by us ever since. Not only is he fast, he's persistent."

I grimaced and chewed on one of my fingers. "It's not like he has anything else to do. He doesn't have to sleep."

She looked at me, incredulous. "Really? Fucking hell." She handed me the glass. "One more please."

"Sure." I got her another. "Well, let him get out of the trees at least, so I can see him. I'll try to talk to him."

She raised her eyebrows at me. "You sure?" I nodded. "Ooook." She handed me the glass and then pulled off the dress and began tying it around her arm, leaving it a little loose. I blushed a little and stopped hanging out the window, so she had at least some privacy… even if she was outside. When she was done she turned to me and said. "Be right back. Oh, and come to La Push after school. We have that meeting tonight." I nodded.

She leapt off the roof, phasing on the way down, and took off for the trees. There was more shuddering, followed my more barks, and then Leah and Seth emerged from the woods as their grey and sandy wolves and began circling in front of my window. They started growling as a figure emerged from the woods. Edward was shirtless, and from the look of his chest it was because it got clawed off, as I could make out three gouges slightly darker than the rest of his skin. He made to move towards the house and a crash sounded as Leah smashed into him.

"What do you mean that's far enough, dog?"

"She means that's far enough," I hissed from the window.

He looked up to see me. "Bella!" He made another move and this time Seth blocked him. "Let me by, mongrel!"

"Don't call him that!"

"Bella, what the hell are these two _doing_ here?"

"Edward, just go home, you've done enough!"

"Bella, we need to talk." Seth and Leah growled at him as he tried to come closer. "I'll go wherever I want to," he said to them.

"Edward, leave them alone, they're only trying to protect me."

"Protect you?! From what?"

"Victoria."

"Bella, I would never let her hurt you."

"It's not up to you anymore, Edward. Now go home so they can do their job."

"Bella–"

"Go home!" Edward shook his head, and Seth and Leah began growling anew. It looked like they were about to face off right there on the lawn when, suddenly, two other wolves, black and russet, erupted from the trees and joined Seth and Leah. They appeared to be advancing until the russet one shuddered and turned back into the man.

"She said go home," Jake said with a snarl. His voice was vicious, but it was hard to be afraid when I found myself staring at the back of him. The very naked back of him. Toned calved led into muscled thighs and those led into what had to be the best ass I had ever seen. Not that I went around looking at a lot of bums or anything, but pants did _not_ do him justice. I was extremely glad that Edward couldn't hear my thoughts right now because they were positively wicked.

_I bet you __**could**__ bounce a quarter off them_, Jake's voice smirked at me. I put my hands on my cheeks to hide my blush.

Edward clenched his fists. "And leave her here with you?"

Jake looked over his shoulder at me. Oh God, he wasn't going to turn around was he?! "You ok, Bella?"

I nodded before burying my face in my hands.

"She's fine. Now _leave._ Before we tear you to pieces."

He scoffed at him. "As if you could."

The other three growled loudly and started moving forward slowly, encircling him. Jake crossed him arms across his chest. I could see his face anymore but I'm sure he was smirking. "You want to test that that theory, parasite? Be my guest." He uncrossed his arms and exploded into russet fur again. He began stalking with the others.

Edward looked up at me, and then shook his head and sighed. "Bella, this is truly foolish. I sincerely hope it doesn't end badly for you." He eyed the wolves surrounding him and then headed into the trees again. I breathed a sigh of relief and looked down on the wolves. Jake looked up at me and I swear he winked.

_I'm a sly dog, aren't I?_

Stop that, I will not begin to think that I can actually read your mind.

_Nope baby, I'm all you._

"I'm going to bed," I said aloud, and shut the window. I got into bed and promptly began tossing and turning.

* * *

Thankfully I had gone to bed early, so I didn't lose too much sleep. I got ready for school and ate, wishing Charlie a good day. The school day went by in a blur. I didn't even notice that Edward wasn't there for English until I didn't see him in Government. The rest of the day went by just as quickly except for lunch.

When we got to the table, Alice was sitting there alone.

"Where's Edward?" asked Ben.

Alice glowered up at me. "He got suspended."

"Last week of school, how did he manage that?" Mike said laughing.

"Ask Bella." Alice's eyes felt like knives as the whole table turned to me.

Mike still found it amusing. "What happened Bella?" He said jokingly.

I clutched my bruised wrist under the table. "I um… I broke up with him."

"What?" Ben nearly upset his drink.

"Really?" asked Mike. "But how did that get him suspended?"

"He, um, over reacted a little… and uh, Coach Clapp caught him."

"Over-reacted? It's Edward, how bad could it be?"

"Mike, maybe we should drop it," said Angela, giving me a reassuring glance.

"No, Angie, it's ok." I raised my wrist and placed it on the table.

Ben gave out a low whistle, Angela looked at me with sad eyes and Mike was audibly grinding his teeth as they inspected the purple and black handprint wrapped around my wrist.

Alice looked remorseful for a moment, and then grimaced. "You still didn't have to have your friend knock him out."

Mike's eyes bugged out. "That Jack guy from La Push knocked Edward out?"

"Jacob," I said, shaking my head. "And no, he didn't hit him. It was Jacob's…. cousin."

"I guess the size thing runs in the family. How big is he?"

"She. And she's shorter than Jake."

Mike's eyes looked like they were about to fall out of his head. "A girl knocked out Edward?"

Ben edged closer. "This I gotta hear."

I sighed and rolled my eyes, pulling my hand back. "There's nothing to hear. She walked up behind him, tapped him on the shoulder, and punched him when he turned around."

"That's wasn't an ordinary punch," said Alice, sniffing.

"She's not an ordinary girl."

Alice frowned at me. "Do you think you should be hanging out with such dangerous people, Bella?"

I really wished that Alice would just drop this. "She's actually really nice, she just didn't like the way Edward was gripping my arm." I glared at her. "It was rather hard."

I ate the rest of my lunch in relative silence until Angela spoke to me. "You want to come over and study today Bella?"

I shook my head no. "I can't, I have to go to La Push after school. How about tomorrow."

"Sure," she said smiling. Alice frowned again.

The bell rang and I got up to leave, when Mike stopped me. "Hey Bella, would you want to go to the movies with me, Angie and Ben. We were thinking about going Friday."

Well, if nothing else, Mike is at least persistent.

I tried to look very serious. "Sorry Mike, you know, it's a delicate time…" Well, it's a delicate time and I can't stop thinking about toned bronze skin, but I left that part out.

He nodded. "Of course, I understand. Maybe some other time."

"Maybe." He headed out the door and I waited a beat before following him.

"You know, you never asked how my arm was." I looked behind me to see Alice still sitting there.

Damn. She had me on that one. I sighed and walked towards her. "I'm really sorry about that Alice, honest. Paul was just trying to get you to stop, and Rosalie said you were fine."

She rubbed at her arm and sniffed. "It's better now. But I don't know how you can keep hanging around those… boys when they keep hurting people. My arm, Edward's chest, and his _face_, depending on… whatever that girl was."

"Alice please, it's not like they weren't provoked."

She sniffed again. "I don't think I've ever seen Rosalie so happy about something that didn't concern herself, so… I guess that's good."

"Please Alice, you're still my best friend. It's just hard to be around you right now, with Edward and everything."

She got up, and came to my side with a hop, though it wasn't her usual canter. "I may be disappointed that we won't be sisters anymore if you break up with Edward, but I'm not going to stop you if that's what you want. I just don't know what you have to be with them."

I rolled my eyes, walking out of the cafeteria with her. "I don't expect you guys to protect me from… your Italian relatives if I'm not going to be with Edward."

She gave a high giggle. "Bella, if that's all, you don't have to worry, we won't let them hurt you." She dropped her voice to a whisper. "You know, when you put it that way, it sounds like we're in the mob."

I shook my head at her. "It's not just that. They're my friends too, just as much as you are. Really I don't deserve them, after I just up and left them. But they took me back like I was a prodigal daughter and swore to protect me."

"It was their decision to stop hanging out with you."

"And it was my decision to cut them out of my life completely for something I didn't even want. Besides, Jake already said that if I'm that determined to see you, he wouldn't stop me, because I'd just end up doing it anyway and hating him for it."

"Maybe Edward should have taken a page out of his playbook," she said, her expression darkening.

"It wouldn't have helped. This was inevitable Alice. I wasn't happy, and it's better I figured it out sooner rather than later."

She sighed. "It still feels bad."

"Alice I would love to make it up to you, I swear."

She grinned at me side ways as we walked down the hall. "We could make up that sleepover this weekend." Her pace was beginning to come back to her normal dance.

I smiled despite myself, but shook my head all the same. "There's another bonfire on Saturday that I have to make. Sorry, I already said I'd be there. I don't think I really want to be in a house with Edward for a weekend right now anyway."

She stopped and looked at me, her grin turning into a thoughtful glare. "Go shopping with me on Friday for something for you to wear then."

I groaned. "Alice…"

"It's my final offer."

I hung my head in defeat. "Fine. We'll go shopping. But only to Port Angeles."

Alice took my head and shook it. "Deal." A smile crept across her face and she danced towards her classroom before turning around again. "Why do they want to meet us tonight?"

"Oh, renegotiation and stuff. A lot got mucked up this weekend." I hoped that a half truth would suffice.

"Oh," she said thoughtfully. "I guess. Will you be there?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm kind of the source of the problem, aren't I?"

She gave a glittering smile. "You are a walking hazard. See you later, Bella."

Well I had made up with Alice I at least. That's two Cullens down and five to go.

* * *

My last two classes passed much the same as the first four, now that I had the meeting to think about. After school I drove home and changed before heading off to La Push. I left a note for Charlie as I left. Humming as I drove I made it to La Push in what seemed like no time, and pulled into Jacob's drive soon after that. Walking in the door I saw Billy.

"Hey," I said, shutting the door behind me.

"Hello Bella, I take it you're here for that 'meeting.'"

"Yeah. Is Jake here, or did I miss him."

"No, he's here. He's just sleeping."

I looked at the living room, remembering the anxiety from the last time I waited there. "Has he been asleep for long?"

Billy nodded. "Ever since he came home from this morning. Missed school. Shame, he just got caught up again."

It was good to hear that Jake was doing well, but I still wasn't about to wait in that living room again. "I think I'm going to go wake him up."

Billy snorted. "Good luck. He sleeps like the dead."

I headed upstairs and went in the direction of the snoring. Pressing the door open I saw Jacob lying sideways on his bed, face down, both ends hanging off, even though his bed must have been king-sized. He was shirtless and the covers were only covering his lower half, giving me a _splendid_ view of hard shoulder blades and toned back muscles.

_Bella Swan, are you licking your lips?_

Yes. I'll admit it, I was. But I knew his back was smooth to the touch, and hard, and warm, and I could touch it all I wanted to and never be pushed away. The thought of _giving_ someone a massage had never been as erotic as it was now. The voice chuckled in my head as I walked over and reach for him.

_Naughty, naughty…._

I'm just shaking you to wake you up.

_If you say so._

I put a hand on his warm back, relished the heat for a moment, and then shook him gently. "Jaaacoob."

I waited a moment. Nothing. I shook again. "Jaaacooooob"

His snoring wasn't even interrupted. I tried harder this time, leaning down and hissing "Jacob!" into his ear.

Nothing.

Exasperated I sat on the bed beside him and gave him a great shove, saying his name rather loudly. All I succeeded in doing was making him turn over so that he was mostly on his back, both arms still hanging over the one side.

Billy wasn't kidding about the dead bit. I put my hands against his chest and shook again, but it felt more and more like I was trying to move steel in a way it especially didn't want to bend.

"JACOB!"

Still nothing.

Fine, I shall have to resort to trickery. Very lightly, I brushed my fingers across his cheek and his hand came up to brush it. "Aha, we're making progress," I said aloud to no one in particular. I tried the trick again, and he swatted at the non-existent fly again.

Then I tried the trick a third time and it backfired. He turned completely on his back and his arms, grabbing at whatever it was that was touching him, encircled me and pulled me on top on him, holding me to his chest.

And there I was, trapped in the arms of a sleeping man that I could never pry my way out of.

_What a fine pickle you've gotten yourself into now, Bella._

Shut up. I ignored the snickering and tried to free myself in vain. I was stuck there until he woke up, which may be never at this rate. I laid my cheek down on his chest in defeat.

It was then that all my good intentions flew out the window. Lying in his warm embrace, I thought about the beach and his kisses, and heat blossomed between my thighs again. Dammit all. I struggled again to no avail, all that happened was that he shifted and held me closer.

Everywhere my skin touched his was so warm. My face, my arms, my hands and my…stomach? I moved around and realised that my shirt had been pulled up slightly, and my bare stomach was pressed against his abdomen.

The part of his abdomen that should have been covered, if he were wearing pants.

My breath caught in my throat. He. Was. _Naked._ He was naked under those covers and I knew it and…. It was all too much as my head swam. I went stiff as a board as he moved again, this time shifting as if to cuddle me. His left hand moved down to rub my lower back and he murmured something I couldn't quite make out. I was still trying to figure out what he had said when I felt something come to attention at my thigh.

_Well, __**one**__ part of me is awake._

My eyes widened and I squirmed again. Of course, given my luck, this had the opposite effect of what I had intended. Instead of letting go, he murmured something that sounded like "beautiful" and solidified his grip on me further. He pressed his groin into me and I got another shock.

Jacob was a _very_ big boy. Granted, my experience with this sort of thing had mostly come from snickering at the guys in swim suits in Jessica's gossip magazines, and a dare to Google a few things at one of the sleepovers I had back in Phoenix, but this put all that to shame and more.

Well the hell was I supposed to do? Billy was downstairs and even if he could walk, I doubt he would be able to stop his supernaturally strong son from molesting me in his sleep, not that I'd actually want him to walk in here and see me trapped in bed with a naked Jacob. How the hell do I get myself into these things again?

I stayed there, defeated and hoped he'd wake up soon. I looked over at the clock, but the red numbers gave no sign of having an alarm attached to them. So I tried moving around to get under his arms, but, as if the fates were laughing at me, his grip turned into a vice and he pressed me to his chest.

Great, now I was stuck in Jacob's bed with a naked Jacob and _he was nuzzling me!_ I turned to stare at his chest, and got a horrible, awful, genius idea. Hesitantly, I placed my lips to his chest, and kissed it lightly, to see if I would get a response.

Nothing.

Well, here goes nothing.

I opened my lips and sunk my teeth into his chest as hard I could. My jaw popped as it felt like I was trying to bite through metal, but finally his snoring was interrupted.

Yes! I silently cheered.

Jake's eyes fluttered open and started at the ceiling. After what seemed like an eternity, he looked down at me.

" Bella? What are you– Did you just bite me?"

"Kinda," I said, trying to look innocent and not think about his lower half.

"Why?"

"I was trying to wake you up." I could feel my face blush.

He chucked and his chest shook, making the bulge beneath the sheets ever more pronounced. "So you decided to climb on my chest and bite me?"

"NO!" Oh God, what was wrong with me that I always end up in the most awkward situations? If Quil and Embry walk through that door, just kill me now.

"Well it's not like I mind or anything…" He smirked down at me.

"I tried shaking you and you grabbed me. Now let me go."

The smirk didn't leave his face. "Actually, I kinda like you where you are."

I gave an audible choke and squeaked out, "I can tell."

"Hmm? What?" He shift around and then laughed. "Oh, I guess you can."

"'I guess you can?'" I scoffed back at him. "This is so unfair, how are you not utterly embarrassed?"

He chuckled again. "I guess I'm just comfortable with my body. You have to be when you spend so much time naked."

"I had expected that you would at least sleep in boxers!" I hissed at him, half whispering

"Ha, you trying sleeping clothed when you constantly run a temperature."

Good point. Dammit, why the hell did Billy even let me come up here? "Could you at least put some pants on?"

"Well, I can't very well do that with you on top of me, now can I Bella?"

"Then let me go!"

He sighed and released his arms. "Spoil sport."

Finally free, I got up, shaking from the loss of contact. "Now put some clothes on." He smirked up at me, and threw off the covers, getting up. I whirled around, clasping my hands to my eyes before I could anything. "Warnings! Warnings are to be appreciated! Wa– Warnings, you… Ass!" I squawked, becoming more aware, and painfully so, of all the ways in which Jake was completely the opposite of Edward. He possessed absolutely no modesty. My thighs trembled and I prayed silently that I wouldn't just fall over from the shock of it all, including the fact that I half wanted to turn around. I managed to stop wobbling and bark out "Pants! Now!"

"You are positively no fun."

"PANTS!"

I heard him shuffling around behind me, until I felt two warm arms wrap around me. "Is this better?"

"You don't have a shirt on!"

"You only said pants."

Does that mean he doesn't have any under– oh, I don't even want to think about it. He pulled me closer to him, and I relaxed a little. He smelled like some sort of men's soap, whatever it was that he usually used and it was just comforting. Even though something was still poking me in the back.

"Jake, you do realise you're still, um… You know…."

He looked down behind my and backed away from me slightly. "Oh, yeah, sorry about that. Only one way to get it to go away fast, in which case I'll need about ten minutes…. That is, unless you want to assist me."

My eyes shot open. Did I want to 'assist him?'

_Need I remind you of your own bedroom activities?_

Alright, I wanted to. But wanting to doesn't mean you should. "Jacob, I technically only broke up with Edward yesterday. I thought we were supposed to taking things slow." I disentangled myself from him and turned to face him.

"Right. Slow. Tell that to my pants."

I sighed, screwing my mouth up to one side and looking away from him. "The whole switching between barely a crawl and light speed isn't helping, is it?"

He shook his head. "It's really not."

I was headed out the door when I was stopped by his voice.

"Bella?"

I turned around. "Yeah, Jake?"

He rubbed his head as he took a stepped forward and visibly gulped. "You… you know I love you, right?"

My heart stopped in that moment. It came right to a dead halt, as I stared into his deep brown eyes and I felt all the blood rush out of my head and my feet at the same time and pool in the pit of my stomach.

"Jake, I–"

He shook his head. "You don't have to say anything Bells, I just want you to know this… this isn't some attempt by me to get laid. You don't know how happy I was when you I came home to you pacing a hole through my living room floor. I can't even tell you how happy I was."

My eyes felt misty and I blinked it away. That was possibly the least eloquent exclamation of love that I'd ever heard, not that I had heard many, yet some how, it meant more to me than all the other ones before it.

Realisation hit and I was saying the words before I even knew what I was doing. "Jake, I love you too. It's just…. It's so damn confusing. I thought I couldn't do anything without… him" I felt immensely guilty mentioning him at a time like this. "And here I am, still going on, and happier than ever. It's fucking bewildering at best, so you'll have to forgive me if I have to step back every once in a while and make sure this isn't some figment of my imagination." I laughed. "Wow that sounds so messed up."

He walked up to me and pulled me into another hug. "Oh Bella-honey," he said laying a kiss on the top of my head. "We can go at a snail's pace or super sonic, your choice, as long as we're going."

Blinking had failed and tears had escaped over my cheeks. "Man, I wish I had figured this out back during spring break. I would have saved everyone a lot of heart ache."

"Shh," he whispered, leaning down to kiss both of my cheeks. "It's fine. Don't cry over it. This whole thing is confusing as hell to me. No one thinks anything bad about you for it."

I shook my head. "Edward does."

"Fuck him. He's lucky I don't kill him over your arm."

"Jake, don't do anything to him, I couldn't stand it."

"Fine," he said. "Let me know if you ever change your mind though."

"And we're still taking things slow."

"If I must." He took my hand and we headed downstairs. "So, did Ve really knock his jaw all the way around?"

I laughed, wiping away the last of my tears. "No. What the hell did Quil tell you?"

* * *

We left and headed to Emily's. Jake told me he was supposed to meet the pack there. We headed out in the truck. We fell into a comfortable silence again on the ride there, and I found myself staring at his hand again.

_For the love of God, Isabella Marie Swan, just take my damned hand and be done with it._

You didn't have to tell me twice. I took my right hand off the wheel and slipped it into his left one. He looked over and smiled at me, giving it a small squeeze before letting it go again so I could continue driving.

_Now, was that so hard?_

No. No it was not.

Emily was in the kitchen stirring a cup of tea when we got there. "You better get out back Jake, they're waiting for you and you're late." He nodded and gave me a kiss on the temple before leaving. Emily quirked an eyebrow at me.

"What?" I said, looking back at her.

"I see you two worked everything out."

I shrugged. "Well, not everything."

"Yeah, but last time I saw you, you were running down a beach clutching your bra in your hands."

"Oh… that."

Emily giggled. "I also hear your ex isn't all too pleased about any of this."

Stupid werewolves and their stupid pack mentality. "That's putting it mildly."

"You want some tea?" I nodded in response. "I made muffins too." I picked one up and we began chatting about my conversation with Ve. I was surprised to see Emily eating it up.

"You mean you haven't heard any of this from the guys or Leah?"

She shook her head. "You're the only one she's said anything to. Everything else has been business. They have a lot to go through. She went over the terms of the treaty and didn't seem to like one of the main clauses, the whole bite not kill thing."

I crinkled my nose. "Why wouldn't she like that?"

"She thinks it should stipulate both."

"Oh. That makes sense." I tapped my hands against the table.

"Nervous?" Emily asked.

"A little. I'm worried something bad will happen. I like Ve's, she's just… well, she basically told me she has to overreact where safety is concerned. I'm worried how far that over reacting has to go."

"What, you think she's going to kill one of the Cullens?"

"She said she wouldn't today. But… later, if she thinks she has to, I think she'd kill one of them without blinking an eye. Just a feeling, you know?"

Emily nodded. "She sort of has this underlying air of danger, doesn't she?"

"I definitely don't want to be on any side that goes against her after seeing her laying out Edward in human form."

"Well, maybe she'll just content herself to repeatedly breaking their jaws instead of killing them."

I snorted. Emily had what you'd call a weird sense of humour sometimes. We switched the conversation to what we were going to do for food for the Elder's meeting on Thursday. I noticed that it started to get dark.

"Was I supposed to just go somewhere? They've been gone for almost two hours."

"I don't know, sorry," said Emily shrugging. I took a peak out the window. The guys weren't out back anymore, but I saw Ve coming towards the house through the trees.

"Where'd everyone go Ve?"

She stopped in front of my and put her hands in her jean pockets. "Well, we did want to wait until dusk anyway, but we ended up having an emergency."

My heart thudded. An emergency? "What happened?"

She laughed. "Calm down little, it's nothing like that, we're just going to have a new brother to welcome to the pack soon, maybe two with the way another one is looking. Young too, by Quileute standards anyway."

I let out the breath I was holding in relief. I thought something had happened with Victoria. "Who are they?"

"I do not believe you know. They are not even in your upper education system yet."

"They aren't in high school?"

She shook her head. "No they are not. Let's go inside a moment. I require a change in attire." She headed in and I followed her. "Ah Emily, how are you this evening? I believe Sam left my bag here."

"Good, Ve, it's upstairs."

She nodded at her. "Ah thank you. I will only be a moment Bella." She disappeared upstairs.

"I thought she looked ok," I said finishing my muffin.

"I think it's something ceremonial. It seemed important when she asked Sam to bring her bag here."

Our question was answered when Ve walked down the stairs a few moments later. She had the hair pulled back from her face and it draped down her back, making her look like royalty. She looked down over her high cheek bones at us, and I realised the reason why she unsettled me a little every time I looked at her. I was looking at the face of a killer, someone who decided how other people's lives would end, and someone who bore that responsibility well. The look in her eyes held us in place as we were instant subjects to her authority. She was dressed in a pale buckskin dress which came together like a robe where her breasts met and was held in place by an odd silver broach – three intertwined triangles. It looked familiar and remembered her wearing a necklace with the same symbol on it. The light colour of the skins she wore accentuated everything Native about her, and made her eyes and hair more unusual and more unsettling. She was soundless except for the slight jingle every time she took a step, which came from the white shells sewn onto her the dress, and I looked down, seeing that she was barefoot. When she reached the bottom, she smiled, her eyes softened and the spell was broken.

I exhaled, not realising I wasn't breathing and it escaped from my mouth in a "Wow…"

She turned to face me. "Well, it's nice to see I can still captivate an audience. I haven't had to do anything official in years. Come, sit, I would like to explain things to you." I sat down at the table and Emily brought her a cup of tea without being asked to. "Thank you Emily, you are too kind. Now Bella, I know these Cold Ones are your friends, but for me, I am walking into a treaty meeting with the enemy. The rest of the pack has gone on ahead and know what to do, but you must know, they are going to be treating me with the full respect I deserve."

"What… what does that mean." I was almost speechless by I found the words by looking into her eyes.

"It means they are going to treat me the way they would if we were at an official meeting of the Great Council, in full recognition of my status and station. Generally I dislike such gestures, but in this case it is necessary. This means they are going to kneel when I enter the clearing the that the meeting is taking place in, and will not speak to me or meet my eyes unless I address them directly."

"Do I have to do that too?"

She shook her head. "You are will be there as my personal guest. It would be a good idea to curtsey when they kneel."

"Um, I'm really clumsy."

She laughed and stood up. "You are probably thinking ballet. No, like this." She demonstrated for me and it wasn't the deep squat duck footed thing they taught us in dance class that I would constantly fall over while doing. It was just sort of a knee bend and nod thing. I think I could handle that. She sat back down again and drank the rest of her tea. "I simply wanted to tell you that I am going to be more formal than I usually care to be, but the occasion calls for it." She looked at the clock on the stove. "We are already late, but after what happened, that is to be expected. Are you ready, Bella?" I nodded. "Then we should be off. Thank you for the tea Emily, I would like very much to see you afterwards."

"Of course Ve," Emily said blushing.

"Well then, let's go." She got up and I followed.

* * *

We walked out into the woods, and while she was the one in bare feet, she helped me along so I didn't put a stick through my shoe.

"You really are clumsy," she said, helping me over a rock.

"Yeah, I get it from my Dad."

"Ah, yes, that I understand. My father had a snap temper that I inherited. He was a rather jovial man until you crossed him." She smiled at me. "I also have his hair and eyes."

"So that's who you get it from?"

"Indeed. Both me and my brother, though he is without the red hair."

"You have a brother?"

"Yes."

"Where are you from anyways? None of the guys know."

She stopped and looked at me a moment. "Oh they didn't… no the Council wouldn't tell them I suppose." She kept going.

"So where is it?"

She laughed back at me. "Well I'm not about to ruin it now. You'll find out when they do." She kept going and I followed with a frown. After a few more fallen logs she had to help me over we approached what looked like an open field off the highway on the treaty line. It was far bigger than the meadow.

I stopped right before we walked out of the trees. "Ve, am I supposed to call you 'your Majesty' or something?"

She looked at me a moment, then brought her hand to her mouth and giggled into it. "Oh Bella, you are hilarious sometimes. No, you don't have to so that. Don't worry so much" She took me by the shoulders and gave me a surprisingly light shake. "You'll do fine. You mostly have to listen anyways." She looked out of the trees. The pack stood there, each one of them shirtless except for Leah who was in a black sun dress. The sun was pink and low behind them. Across from them stood all seven of the Cullens, eyeing the pack carefully. I saw Emmett whisper something to Rosalie and then all the Cullens looked in our direction.

"I believe that is our cue," Ve said beside me. "Come then, let's get this done."

She stepped out and I followed her. I watched as black and topaz eyes fell on Ve, most for the first time, and all looked disconcerted, especially Edward, who lifted a hand to rub his jaw. She took her place beside the pack and I watched as they all fell to one knee and lowered their heads. Her icy eyes slid over to me and I hurriedly did the knee bend dip she showed me, miraculously staying on my feet. Her eyes left me and turned to the Cullens. Carlisle was standing slightly ahead of the rest of them, but all of the Cullens looked extremely perplexed at the moment. Slowly, stiffly, Carlisle lowered himself into a bow, and everyone behind him followed, all except two. "Alice, Edward, mind you manners," Carlisle said glaring at them. They followed suit, though they didn't go as low as everyone else.

Ve turned to Sam, placing a hand on her head and I could see a slight grin forming from the view I had of the side of her face. She wasn't lying about her love of antagonising vampires. "Rise," she said in the most official voice I had ever heard and I found myself forced to stand up. The pack and the Cullens got up as well and Carlisle cleared his throat in what I thought was nervousness.

"I'm sorry, we haven't been introduced. I'm Carlisle Cullen, and this is my family, Esme, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and I believe you met Alice and Edward."

"I believe I have." Her tone of voice sent chills down my spine, but they strangely went away quickly. She surveyed them, her eyes sliding over them. I never realised how much her eyes looked like melting ice until this moment.

He stared at her, expecting her to reciprocate, and then said, "We weren't given your name."

"Of course not, I told them not to. My apologies, I was observing your coven. I am called Ve."

"Ve, yes. We were told that we were to meet regarding the treaty and… frankly, we don't know who you are, I'm sorry." Normal I would feel very awkward at this exchange, but I remained strangely calm. I looked over to Jasper to see if I could tell if he was doing anything, but it wasn't apparent. Of course, it was never clear when he was using his power or not.

"Your apologies are not necessary. It is expected that you do not know me. I am a high Elder of the Great Council, and representative of the Quileute nation thereof."

"I see," said Carlisle, not looking any less confused. "What is this 'Great Council' if I may ask?"

Her eyes stopped sliding over the other Cullens and flicked on Carlisle who visible jolted as if hit with static electricity. I guess even Jasper can't calm everything. "You may. The Great Council is a representative body of shape shifters, among other things. I cannot tell you anything further, Cold One, except that this pack is a member of it and entitled to my guidance and protection."

He nodded slowly. "Thank you. I must say, I do now know of a reason why they feel in danger–"

She cut him off. "Your very presence is a danger, Cold One. The Quileute are reluctant, but dutiful protectors of their land and your being here causes more of them to phase by the day. They are concerned for their children. But this is obvious, and not the reason why I am here. We will discuss many reasons why they are in danger, however, foremost, your treaty with the Quileute was not known by the Council. This does not render it invalid, but they are entitled to our protection, and as such, we would like to review the terms to ensure they are agreeable to us."

Carlisle looked more relieved. "Ah, yes, of course. We would be happy to clarify anything."

She looked at him sternly. "This is agreeable. First, _that one_ will stop doing whatever he is trying to do. _**Now."**_ I shuddered, the nervousness back suddenly as she raised her hand to point at Jasper, glaring daggers at him.

"You… you can tell?" He spluttered.

"Of course I can tell. But then, I do not go into a meeting of two factions under a banner of peace and then proceed to use my abilities on my elders." She dropped her hand and looked back to Cullen. "I recommend that you assist him in learning respect. Were he under my command, I would have him whipped."

"My apologies, but we consider Jasper our son, not someone under our command."

Her eyes became icy fire. "Cold One, if he were my son, I would beat him twice as hard, because my children know better."

"You ? Have children?" Edward said incredulously.

Ve's gaze snapped to him. "Yes. I do. Thirteen children have been born of my body. Nine still walk this world, and four are in the next, having died fighting against the likes of your kind and others, and if you should like to speak ill of them again, I will rip you apart and sprinkle your pieces over their graves to honour them." I could see what Ve meant about her father's temper.

"Edward, apologise." Carlisle said carefully.

"No."

Carlisle turned around to face him. "Edward, now is not the time."

"Why should I apologise to her when she broke the treaty by nearly taking off my head?"

"Because you are speaking to someone who out ranks you, boy." Ve said, her voice becoming a warning. "And, since I am not Quileute, I am under no treaty with you, though I respect their laws. But while I am here, boy, I am the de facto alpha of this pack and it is my responsibility to ensure my pack's safety. As such, since one Isabella Swan is an accepted member of this pack, I am not allowed by the oaths I swore to the Council to let you assault her."

"Assault her? I–"

_"Furthermore,"_ she said cutting him off. "You are extremely lucky that you are under treaty with the Quileute and that Bella cares for you, because the appropriate response I should have taken to you injuring a member of my pack would have been to kill you." Edward stopped talking as his mouth fell open. She turned back to Carlisle. "Actually it would have been to kill him and burn his corpse on your front lawn to serve as a reminder of what will happen to the rest of you if you attempt anything similar. My pack is sacrosanct, Cullen, and you will do well to remember that. I spared him once out of respect for Bella. If it happens again, my leniency will be sorely tested."

Carlisle nodded, but a snarl came from behind him.

"You touch him and I will have your head!" Emmett's eyes had gone black and he stepped to be at Carlisle's side.

I looked between Emmett and Ve, beginning to shake. I knew he meant well but right now he put himself in more danger than her ever thought possible.

Ve's eyes had gone impossibly fiery as she locked eyes with Carlisle. I watched as he gulped and... assented to something? If they were speaking, it was without words, but I wouldn't put it past Ve to be having a conversation I couldn't hear. Out of the corner of my eye, Edward tensed. Her gaze shifted to Emmett. "Sam," she said, in a horrifically calm voice. Sam stepped up beside her while Carlisle shouted at Emmett and profusely apologised. Ve reached up to the pin at her breasts and fiddled with it for a moment. What happened next went so fast had I blinked I would have missed it.

The buckskin dress went flying into the air and I saw Sam catch it and drape it over his arm. I heard a growling and barking and looked back to Emmett just in time to see a white blur ram into him and he went flying with it. They rolled and landed some feet away from us, Emmett on his back and what had to be Ve on top of him.

Her wolf form was magnificent. Pure white except for the strange ice blue streaks running through it and the red-orange that peaked at her ears, muzzle, tail and feet. She was as large as Jacob or larger as she stood, growling over Emmett's prone form. She began barking into his face, loud, awful claps that made my ears hurt and I could swear that I could see Emmett's pupils dilate from here. He made a few swats at her, great thuds ringing out as he bashed his fists against her, but she didn't even flinch, her snapping teeth coming dangerously close to his face.

Rosalie had started after him, but she was held back by Edward, and they watched on in horror with the rest of us, her screams barely heard over Ve's barks. Emmett had turned over and was currently trying to claw his way out from underneath her. He had managed to pull himself about a foot, the ground crumbling under his fingers when Ve grabbed him with her teeth by the scruff of his neck. He cried out and she growled, before making a sharp twist with her neck. Emmett's body rag dolled through the air like he weighed no more than a mannequin and landed with a horrible smash, her teeth still clamped on him. She twisted the other way and he followed, landing with a sickening crack. She tossed him back and forth twice more, small twin craters forming where his body hit the ground, before she put him down again, flipping him so he was face up.

She shuddered and became human again, her naked form crouched over him, blue eyes locked on black. "Have I made my point, leech, or do I need to actually hurt you?"

Emmett appeared to be panting but… strangely unharmed. He hands came up to his head and he shook it. "My ears haven't rung this bad in… ever. Holy hell… yeah, yeah, I get it." She disappeared and with a wave of buckskin she was standing beside me and a dressed again, having taken her dress from Sam's out stretched hand. Emmett got to his feet and was actually laughing as he shook his head again. "Sweet God, I've never been thrashed so hard in my life, and I was mauled by a bear." He shook his head again and brushed his clothes off.

"EMMETT!" Rosalie, finally free of Edward went running for him. He caught her still trying to shake the ordeal off. "Are you alright, did she hurt you? Oh Emmett!"

He rubbed his temples. "I'm ok Rose, I'm ok. I just know now not to go around tempting forces of fucking nature anymore. But I do have a horrible crick in my neck. No no, a little to the left. Ahhhh, there." Rosalie proceeded to fuss over him.

Carlisle looked Ve up and down, brows furrowed. "How did you do that?"

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Well, vampire, you have succeeded in surprising me. That was not the reaction I was expecting."

"Emmett is not hurt, though I'm sure he regrets saying what he did. As such, you stated that you were not to be crossed and then followed through with that statement. I can hardly blame you for doing something you told me you were going to do. The fact still remains that, while my knowledge of werewolf physiology is lacking at best, there is no way you should have been able to manhandle him like that."

She laughed. "I'm a fair bit older than he is."

"That still should not constitute such a difference. You can't be much older than I am."

She smiled at him. "Cullen, I am older than all of you combined."

"I beg your pardon, but that is impossible."

"How so?"

He looked at her and then coughed. "I do not mean to offend, but it is clear that you are… of a mixed racial heritage."

Her eyes narrowed into slits. "You are correct in this matter."

"Well, combined, the seven of us make up almost nine hundred and fifty years."

"Yes."

"You can only be around 500 years old, given the time the New World was discovered."

Ve's laughter sounded in high notes. "Oh, that is what I love about you Europeans, you think the entire world revolves around you."

Carlisle looked very seriously put off. "What?"

"I'm afraid your history is a little off, doctor."

He looked at her dumbfounded.

She laughed again and smiled at him. "I shall give you a hint. I was born in a place which you would call L'Anse aux Meadows."

L'Anse aux Meadows? The name sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place it. Carlisle seemed to be doing the same mental math I was, until his eyes widened and he put a hand to his mouth. "The Viking settlement…. Good lord, you're a thousand years old."

"Ahh, you do not disappoint, vampire. I said I am called Ve, but it is not my name. It is a nick name given to me. My father was one of those Viking settlers, Ragnar Thorrson, called Raudhirmon, you would call him Ragnar Redmane. The name he gave me was Alve, and thus I am Alve Ragnarsdottir, of the nation which you would call Dorset, one of the last of my people. I suppose now is the time to stop underestimating me, no?"

"Did you hear that Rose? I just got my ass kicked by a thousand year old werewolf." Only Emmett could be jovial about that prospect.

"Well, that explains the Valknut," Carlisle said nodding towards Ve.

"Yes. My father gave me this piece," Ve said as she patted the broach holding her dress together. "And I believe your son still owes me an apology."

"Edward," said Carlisle, turning back to look at him.

Edward sighed, pinching his brow, before saying, "I apologise, I should not have spoken of your children that way." Ve inclined her head towards him.

"Alright," said Carlisle, attempting to play mediator. "Now that we've gotten that out of our systems, let's get down to business, shall we?"

Ve nodded. "A man after my own heart. First the treaty. There is wording that I would like to change in the interest of the Council."

"And what is that?"

"The conditions for breaking the treaty. I do not like that it stipulated biting and not killing."

"You'd like you switch it?"

"No, I would like to include both. I've seen many ways in which your kind can kill without biting."

"May I address you by name?"

"You may."

"Ve, you we won't be killing anyone, biting them or no."

Her eyes narrowed again. "This is interesting, I was under the impression that your intention was to add to Bella to your family until she changed her mind."

Carlisle continued carefully. "That is different, it was her choice."

"I would have exterminated all of you just the same."

He was taken aback. "Exterminated?"

"Yes. Exterminated. To the man. You may call it a grudge, but since seeing the broken body of my eldest son after one of your kind tortured him to death, I would call it an earned grudge. I will not tolerate you expanding your family from anyone on this land. I do not tolerate it at all, but it is not my responsibility to watch you constantly. You are an anomaly of your kind, doctor." Carlisle looked as though he was going to interject, but she raised a hand to stop him. "And yes, I am aware of the other coven which keeps to your practice. But this does not change the fact that, regardless of your treaty, if I found you changing humans here, I am required by the Council to end your existence. That is non-negotiable by the oaths I swore upon taking up my office. In the end, this stipulation saves you pain as well as me. Can you agree to this?"

"What if they want to be changed?" said Alice stepping forward.

"Then I would seriously question their ability to make sound judgement."

"How can you claim to know what's best for everyone?"

"You have never been in war, little one. Do not believe you can have understanding of what I claim."

"Alice, her concerns are understandable, whether we like it or not." Alice grumbled, but stepped back at Carlisle's words. "We will agree to these new terms."

"Thank you doctor. Next I must discuss the ways in which you have endangered my pack."

"Now, just a minute Ve, we have done nothing."

"Really Carlisle? So Bella's fear of your Volturi coming after her is completely unfounded?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "We will not allow them to harm her."

"I appreciate the gesture, but I'm afraid if you sincerely wish to protect her, you will assist in an offense against them. I would like it if you told me everything about them."

He gave her a queer look. "Everything? Why?"

"It is rather difficult to destroy an enemy you are not prepared to face."

"You… you want to destroy the Volturi."

"The Volturi are responsible for thousands, if not millions of human deaths, and thousands of shape shifters on top of that. I have been trying to penetrate their defences for years. You will assist me in this, and in turn receive complete amnesty."

"Amnesty?"

"The Council will swear never you harm you or yours. There will be stipulations, such as keeping to your diet, but otherwise, you will be free from our discretion."

"Your discretion?"

"You are vampire. I can most technically kill you at anytime. This is not my intention, but all the same."

"I don't know if I feel comfortable sending them to their deaths."

"This is unfortunate. I am required to get the information from you. I do not wish to use alternative means."

"Alternative means?"

Ve surveyed the group before her again. "That one looks easy to break," she said pointing to Esme. "I could be wrong, but tearing one of your apart in front of her will most likely make her speak. Perhaps the little one."

If it were possible for Carlisle to pale, he just did. "You would torture it out of us? How could you use such… barbaric methods?"

She narrowed her eyes. "I normally would agree with the sentiment. But I have seen what they can do. A field of staked shape shifters and their kin south of the Teutoberger Forest helped change my opinion of forcing necessary information out of people. One of your Volturi had a fascination with Vlad the Impaler. I wish never to walk into such a field again."

Carlisle's eyes widened. "They wouldn't… not that far."

"They would. And they did. They hate us, werewolves in particular. If they were to come here to find Bella, they would decimate the Quileute. It is my responsibility to see that doesn't happen. I would be most appreciative if I didn't have to perform guess work to do it."

"Do you have proof?"

Her eyes fell on Edward. "I can stop you from reading my mind, but I cannot manipulate what you see when you look into it. I take it you can tell if I am imagining something or if I am remembering it?"

"Yes… I can," Edward said hesitantly.

"Well then, I suggest preparing yourself. You will not like this."

Edward gritted his teeth. "I'll manage."

Ve stared into Edward's eyes, and he began to get a confused look on his face. "You're just walking through trees, the only people I can make out are behind you. Wait, there's a clear– Oh… Oh _God...._ Oh God, they're so _young!_" He gripped his head and he face grew pained. "Blood…. There's blood everywhere, but it's all dry. The bodies, none of the bodies have blood in them. Sweet God, they _drained _all of them…. _Merciful Christ_ stop! Just _stop it!"_ She broke eye contact and Edward fell to the ground gasping. "She's… she's telling the truth, God help me, she's telling the truth." He panted on the ground a moment before facing her. "Could I ask you to never do that again?"

"And to think, you tried so hard to read my mind last time. Are we in agreement to stop them?"

Carlisle looked distressed. "How many Edward?"

Edward shook his head. "You don't want to know."

"Tell me how many, son," He said softly.

"I don't know… a hundred… probably more. The clearing wasn't wide, but it stretched on as far as I could see."

"Two hundred and twelve," said Ve, a sad lilt to her voice. "Unless I count the pregnant women as two. An entire village."

Edward nodded solemnly. "Sounds about right."

"This would be why I take effort not to share my thoughts with others. They can be very painful. But such is battle."

Carlisle swallowed. It was a dry sound. "We'll help you."

She nodded. "This brings us to our last bit of business. Sam." Sam tossed the pair of socks Ve took from me to her, and she tossed it to Carlisle. "Do you recognise this Cold One?"

Carlisle turned the socks over in his hand. "No… I've never met this person."

"Well, that at least means you are not hiding a newborn."

He raised his eyebrows. "What is this about?"

"Those are Bella's socks. The newborn was in her room."

"What?" said Edward. "Why?"

"Edward, your scent is all over that house, maybe it got confused." Carlisle tried to reassure him.

Ve shook her head. "No, I do not think so. It stole from her. I think the red haired one has something to do with it. I've read the papers. The dealings in Seattle do not sound like one newborn. It sounds like many."

Jasper gasped. "The Benito tactic."

Ve turned and stared at him with her icy eyes. "What do you know of the Benito tactic?"

He gulped. "I… I used to use it."

"You're from the south then?"

He nodded. "Yes ma'am."

"You any good at it?"

"It's why they kept me around. Part of the reason anyway."

"You will be useful then. I want information. How many can she maintain by herself, who she's most likely to target, and when she'll strike. And next time, when you kill one, for god sakes, kill the mate. This is common knowledge."

Carlisle nodded. "Yes, it was our mistake. We'll help fix it."

Ve extended her hand. "Can you swear you will help us protect Bella then? Against all who are after her."

Carlisle stared at her hand a moment, and then took it. "I swear."

They shook hands and Ve smiled. "Finally, I can drop the formalities." Her eyes widened and softened, and I no longer felt like she could kill at the tip of a hat. "They are so unpleasant, aren't they? How is your neck Cold One?"

To my utter amazement, Emmett _smiled_ at her. "It's been better. I think I have whiplash."

Ve smiled at him. "Well, when someone tells me that they'll have my head, I take it as license that I can play with theirs. Now I must be going. We have phasing boys to attend to. I can't just stand in fields talking to Cold Ones all night." She turned to me. "Bella, I believe you would like to talk to them. We'll be just over here." I nodded back and turned to face the Cullens.

Emmett still looked like the whole thing was a game, with a concerned Rosalie by his side. Jasper was deep in thought, while Esme and Carlisle just looked relieved. Alice's hand was on Edward's shoulder, and he was still on the ground recovering.

Well, this wasn't the preferred scenario I'd ask for to explain things to the Cullens, but I guess I'll have to take it.

A/N: Pretty long chapter. I would have had it out sooner, but flash games ate my life. Blasted procrastination. Hopefully, after the beginning of the next chapter I won't have to do much explanatory work for awhile, and have more fun stuff. Because after all that work, I could use some lemonade.

Music is another big list, not all of it relevant. Light's Out, Due, and Animal by Mindless Self Indulgence, various songs off of various Silent Hill soundtracks (particularily SH 1 and 4), and a bunch of The Medic Droid – Fer Sure, It's About Love, Killer Anna and Sho Fer. It's About Love is a horrendously Jacob song, go list to it.

Well, I hope you liked it, and even more, I hope you'll review. Ciao guys.


	6. Finality and the Stars

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, I got eaten by a Firefly one shot that I'm still trying to hammer out *shakes fist at it* Work damn you! And then I got re-eaten by school.

As I said to them in a PM, vinh wins the jumping the gun award for guessing a plot point. D'oh. Ah well, it's all good. As for the swearing, well Aleksiina, I'm glad 8 years of Ontario required French have served their purpose – I can at least swear! Cibore is a good one though. And I'm glad you guys like Ve so much, I was worried she was going she was going to come off as the overpowered solution to everything. But the Volturi are stupid overpowered, so I needed to give the other side some wallop as well. Plus she's tons more endearing than Aro, at least to me. *shifty eyes* And… well, you'll see.

Someone asked me if I was ok with vulgarity. Fuck no, I hate that shit *winks*.

Anyways:

All Bella POV:

And so I had found myself standing on what once was the wrong side of the treaty line, looking at the people who were supposed to be my family, forever, and shaking in my fucking boots. Well, sneakers. And the only thing I could think at that moment was _please oh please let someone other than me talk first._

Someone up there was smiling on me because my wish was actually granted by Carlisle. "Well, Bella, it appears we have come to an impasse."

I nodded, a little too furiously because of my nerves. "You could call it that."

Esme stepped towards the line. "You know you didn't have to do this Bella, right? We really wouldn't let them hurt you, not as long as we were still here."

"I know Esme. It's a little more than that though. I… I don't expect you to protect me when I'm not a part of your family anymore."

"Bella, you will always be a part of out family. Even if your methods are a little unorthodox…"

Wait, what? "Unorthodox?"

"Alice told us that you got that woman to beat Edward up."

"No I didn't. She did that by herself."

Rosalie shot Alice a glare. "Is it possible for you to go one day without interfering with something?"

Alice gave back inch for inch. "I was only trying to stop Bella from making the stupidest mistake of her life."

"Stupid? She's the only one here who's doing the smart thing – running away from this."

"Don't bite the hand that feeds Rose."

"I didn't ask for this!"

"Neither did I, but we both got a pretty damned good deal out of it."

Rosalie stopped for a moment, before starting again. "That… that's beside the point. She has just as good a deal with them. Better maybe."

"Rosalie, they are werewolves! Are you forgetting about what they did to my arm?!"

"What the fuck about my arm Alice?" Everyone turned to look at me as I suddenly shouted into the parley. I felt my face go red from anger and nerves. Alice looked down at her shoes. "I seem to recall you being so very mad about my lack of concern with your arm, well what about mine?"

"That was an accident, he didn't mean…"

"Does it matter? This isn't about you anymore Alice. It's about what I want! And I still want to be your friend. I wish I could be all your friends. But if you're going to chase me down in cars and then reprimand your sister for defending my choices, I don't know if that can work. If you don't think I dreaded breaking this to you, you're crazy! Why do you think I went sneaking around in the first place? Can't you just accept this and be happy that for the first time in months I'm actually sure of something?"

Alice looked liked she was going to say something and then stopped, swallowing and studying the ground in front of her before she started again. "I– you're right… I'm sorry Bella, I just… I was just so looking forward to being your sister, I kind of got blindsided. It's not fair to ask that of you when you don't want it."

I nodded. "Rose, stop looking so smug. You're right, but that doesn't make it easy."

Rosalie exhaled and nodded. "Sorry."

I took a deep breath. "Right, so my bravery is right about to run out so hugs, both of you, come on." I motioned for them to come forward and hugged both of them, before sticking the edge of my thumb in my mouth and chewing on it again. "So uh, can the rest of you forgive me?"***A/N: Prepare for fluff. Group hug time! Aww!***

Carlisle put a hand on my shoulder and smiled. "Bella, there is nothing to forgive. I'm sorry it had to come to this, but I would regret not letting you choose your own fate."

Esme followed close behind him, and wrapped me into a hug. "You're not allowed to be a stranger Bella. Do you hear me?"

"I hear you Esme." I then sound myself scooped off the ground into a crushing hug. "Air… Emmett, air!"

He set me down grinning. "Can't let the wolves have all the fun."

"You're not allowed to give Jake _any_ tips!"

"Spoil sport."

Edward had finally gotten off the ground and was looking at me, guiltily. "Stop." I said as he tried to say something. I looked into his eyes. They were beautiful as ever, but this time I didn't feel like I was falling into them. I felt like I was falling out of them. "I meant what I said. I will always love you Edward."

He nodded slowly. "I'm so sorry Bella. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."

"Neither of us did. We both made plenty of mistakes along the way."

He rubbed a hand through his bronze hair. "I left you."

"And I jumped off a fucking cliff."

"I'll do anything to keep you safe, I want you to know that. Even if it means working with those… werewolves."

"Could you do something else for me?"

His eyes met mine again. "Anything."

I closed the space between us and took one of his hands. "Move on. You're not allowed to stop living when I do. I'll never be able to live knowing you're not happy."

He laughed a little and said, "I don't know Bella Swan, you're a tough act to follow."

"You'll manage."

"I guess this is… it. Thank you for being honest with me, even when I… over reacted."

"It's ok. It's just a bruise. It'll heal. They always do. Just don't you it again." I laughed, feeling awkward.

He put his hand to my face and rubbed a thumb over my cheek. I was relieved because it didn't feel like the last time I was going to see him. But, at the same time, there was a sharp pain in my stomach, because it felt like it was the last time he was ever going to do this again. To look into my eyes with the adoration I had come to need and to hold me like we belonged together. It was mournful, but like Emily had said, it wasn't wrong, just… unfortunate. He swallowed and licked his lips before speaking again. "I know this might not be the best thing in the world to do, but I feel like I have to. Just once more." With that he leaned down and put his lips to mine. I agreed with him – this wasn't the best thing to do, but I didn't have the heart or the desire to push him away, because this was the last time. This was the last. I kissed him back, not hard, but with a sense of purpose. I needed to remember this kiss, remember him this way, in order to feel not regret. To my surprise his tongue darted out to meet mine. This is how he would have kissed me if we were together, and we didn't have a fear of venom or vampire strength in the way. The way it would have been. And it was the only kiss I would ever have of that, so I needed this. He didn't push me away, but I could tell we were tempting fate so with one last lick of his bottom lip I pulled back. I ignored the growling coming from behind me as I looked into his eyes, the last time as his beloved, and he rubbed my check once more, before looking up to Carlisle. "I'll see you back at the house, I'm sure you can fill me in on the rest." Carlisle nodded. Edward clasped my chin and smiled, telling me that he'd be ok even through the sadness, and then turned and walked towards the tree line. He kept to a normal speed until he reached it, and then turned back to look at me. It wasn't final, I knew it, but in other ways it was. The sun had just gone beyond the sky and his face lit up with the pink glow. It wasn't final, not for us, but it was the last time he'd dazzle me. I watched him until he turned, and then he was gone, running through the trees.

And I felt the spell break. But somehow, I didn't miss it.

I walked over to Jasper who had hung back until then. "You know I have to hug you too right?" I said, with a slight sob. I didn't realise I was crying until just then. He smiled back at me and obliged. "So what was all that Benito stuff?" I asked, trying to get my mind off of what had just happened.

"Things are… different in the south. Vampires are more territorial." He rolled up his sleeve to tell show me his arm. A dozen and a half silver half moons littered his forearm with more leading up past his shirt.

"God, Jasper, what the hell happened to you?"

He explained to me his life as a Civil War veteran, how he became a vampire, the three women his first coven was with, and Benito, the vampire who had first gathered a group of newborns together and made an army out of them. It was shocking and scary, how different his life was to the Cullens and how vicious vampires could be. I suppose that they were meant to be vicious, but my experience has come from a rather biased sample.

"So that's what Victoria is doing?"

Jasper nodded. "It's unusual though. No one since Benito has anyone really been able to command a lot of newborns on their own. We always had three or four handlers. She isn't going to be able to build up a large army. Probably fifteen to twenty. Thirty, maybe, if she can get some help. But I don't know if she's ever done this before, she might only get up to ten. I think there eight reported disappearances from Seattle, but that doesn't mean anything. If she's targeting transients, which she probably is, they aren't going to get reported. And even if it is all her, that doesn't mean that they'll survive to be useful."

I shuddered, tears still sliding down my cheeks. Even ten newborns were more than I wanted my friends to deal with. "How can you care for all the constant newborns?"

Jasper looked at his feet before answering. "You don't. You… dispose of them when they aren't strong anymore."

I gasped and it turned into a sob. I blinked back the tears but they wouldn't stop. "Just like that?"

He nodded.

"How did you ever survive?"

"It's like I said. I was good at it. Newborns are difficult to control. Half the time they end up killing each other and save you the trouble anyways. I could control them, which meant we could build up the biggest army. They put me in charge of taking care of them… and destroying them. It was easier to cull them when they were calm." He hung his head in shame.

"Jasper, I'm sorry–"

"No," he stopped me. "It's ok. I'm just glad that I'll be able to put my more… vulgar skills to an actual good use."

Alice rubbed his shoulder. "Are we still on for Friday Bella?"

I wiped my face, having been unable to stop crying through Jasper's entire story. "I am so not in my mood to be angry with you right now, so of course we are."

Alice grinned and I heard someone clearing they're throat behind me.

"Bella, it's getting dark." I turned to see Ve, and this time got a completely different impression of her. Her eyes were soft and she held her hands in front of her. She didn't look like a warrior in buckskin just then, she looked like… a mother.

I nodded to her and wiped my eyes again. "I know, I'm done."

Ve turned to Carlisle. "We will meet tomorrow night for training. I wish to get as much done before I have to leave."

"Leave?" I asked, shocked.

"Only for a short while. I need to report back to the Council. I'll just be in Seattle. Still, it is unwise to expect me to be here if and when she attacks, I have a lot of things to go over with them. I'll see what I can find out about the newborns, but if they do attack while I'm gone, I want you to be prepared. I must leave on Sunday and will be back sometime later in the week. Untill then, I need to get as much training in as possible. Is this acceptable Doctor?"

"Yes, Ve, it is. We'll be there. Thank you."

"Come on Bella, I think you've had enough excitement for one night."

I nodded and walked back with her. It looked like we were headed back to the pack, however she led me past them, her arm around my shoulder. "Aren't we going back with them?"

"Do you want to talk to them right now?"

I gave another light sob. "No… I don't really want to talk to anyone right now"

"I thought not. Can you drive?"

"I… I think so."

"Come on, let's get you to your truck."

She led me back through the trees for a few dozen feet, until I had given up when I couldn't walk anymore as sobs started wracking my body, and slipped into a ditch. She picked me up. "You are not driving like this," she said as I cried into her shoulder. After what seemed like minutes later, she placed me in the passenger's seat and ran inside Emily's quickly. When she came back out again she was out of her buckskin and in her boots, jeans, and t-shirt again. I managed to get my seat belt on by the time she got into the driver's seat.

I was breaking down, and this time it wasn't into nothingness. It was more like every feeling I'd felt in the past year and a half hit me all at once. "I'm… sorry, I knew it would be… hard, I just didn't think that… it would be like this." Sobs interrupted my speech as tried to talk.

"It's ok Bella, loss is hard. You do not need to excuse yourself."

"But I… wanted… to do it."

"I know. Deciding is one thing. Living with it is another."

I wavered in the front seat as she drove and continued to sob. I had no idea how long it took for her to get me home or how fast she drove because the next thing I remember was Ve picking me up out of the cab and walking me around to the back of my house.

"You aren't going to like this."

I was about to ask her why, but I received the answer when I jolted around in her arms as she ran up the wall to my window and hopped in without using her hands. She placed me down on the floor, and headed back towards the window. "Why is it like this?" I asked as I sunk down to the ground.

She turned back. I looked up to see an almost horrified expression on her face. She gulped before walking back to me and laying a hand on my shoulder. "When they… when they handed my son to me after we found him… he was still alive. We… the Council has members that can bring a person back from the brink of death, but none of them were there. And, sadly, there are ways to damage a shape shifter that prevent them from healing. My son was still alive and though he was fighting with his all, there was no way we could get him to a place where we could help him in sensible amount of time. So I held him in my arms and I told him that I loved him, but if he had to… he could go, and nobody, not me nor his father nor any of his siblings would resent him for… letting peace come to him when he was in so much agony." I felt tears that were not my own fall on my knees and looked up into Ve's strange sliding eyes to see sadness that was incomparable. She held my eyes for a moment and then looked away. "He smiled and murmured something to me, and then he was gone. I spread his ashes next to the spot I pushed my father's funeral barge out to sea. Loss of a person is the hardest thing to cope with, even when you have to let them go. I have torn thousands of vampires apart since they brought my son's body to me in that marsh, including the one who did it. Every single one I kill in his honour, but not one of them has made up for it."

I wiped my eyes. "Ve, I'm so sorry, nothing I'm going through is like that it's like I'm crying over something so insignificant."

She shook her head. "I would say I love all my children differently, though equally, but Ragni was the first. You never get your first again. All of my other children kicked in my belly, cried through an entire night, crawled, stood on their own and grew in front of me, but nothing was like watching it all happen the first time. Three others have followed my first born son into the afterlife. But their loss, while just as painful and just as remorseful, can never be said to be like the first time I had to watch one of my children die. Of course our pains are different. But they are the first ones of their kind, and they are similar in that any pain like it that follows will never be the same."

I nodded, wiping my eyes again. "Thank you Ve."

She turned and walked towards the window. As she was about to go out it, she spoke again. "No thank you. My son's death has always been difficult to discuss. Especially now." She turned to look back over her shoulder. "Your Jacob, he… he reminds me of him. Hmm." With that she leapt out and disappeared. I pulled myself into bed and fell in a fitful sleep, hearing the Jacob-conscience whisper _Everything that means something is supposed to hurt_, just as I drifted off.

* * *

Dreams clouded my sleep again. I dreamt I was leaping from the cliff again and this time Edward caught my hand and tried to pull me up. I struggled to get back over the ledge, but my fingers slid out of his grasp and I fell, forever and forever until forever stopped and I landed in warm arms and looked into warm eyes. My clothes became the white dress and I looked into Jacob's eyes as were we set on fire and burned eternally. Until I woke up.

I shuddered as I woke up. My dreams had been becoming steadily more intense ever since Saturday. It was beginning to get hard to cope with. I tried to ignore the unsettling feeling in my stomach as I dressed and got ready for school.

The day went by slowly. With formally breaking up with Edward behind me, school turned into school again. Each class was reviewing the entire year to prepare us for our finals next week and there was nothing more boring than going over stuff you've already learned. I was thankful when the bell finally rang in Gym and I was free. I met with Angela at my locker. She had gotten a ride with Ben today, so we got to ride back to her house together.

"So what do you want to start on?" I asked, pulling out of the school parking lot.

"I don't know. I'm actually kind of fine in everything except maybe Calc. I thought you would want to talk more than anything."

I gave a great sigh. "Thank god, I need to tell someone not involved."

Angela rolled her eyes and laughed. "Go on."

I shook my head. "Homework first, or we'll never get to it."

For the rest of the ride we chatted about Ben. When we got to her house, we barrelled into our Calculus homework, getting through it as quickly as possible before Angela slammed her book shut.

"Right. Spill."

I was sitting on her floor while she laid face down on her bed, propping herself up with one elbow. "Well it all started with… well Edward was going to be moving after graduation."

"I'm pretty sure we all are Bella."

Not me. Well, not anymore. "Yeah, but I mean far away. So far that I wouldn't be able to come and see Charlie or Renee even on vacations. And he wanted me to come with him."

"And you were going to?"

I nodded. "I was originally. It's funny, he didn't even want me to come. It's why he left in the first place. He didn't want to take me away from my parents. But I was ready and willing when he came back. But now… Now I don't want to go. And he has to."

Angie nodded. "That sucks Bella, I'm sorry."

"No, it's ok. That's not the whole reason why I broke up with him. He was getting kind of possessive."

She looked at me seriously. "You sound like it was more than 'kind of.'"

"Ok," I said, admitting it. "It was a little more than kind of. He… he messed up my truck so I couldn't go see Jake, and then had Alice watch me to make sure."

"Wait, why didn't he want you to see Jake?"

"He thinks Jake is dangerous."

"Well, I'll admit he looks scary, but he never sounded dangerous."

"He isn't!" I said, shaking my head. "He's an absolute teddy bear!" Or, you know, puppy dog. Whatever. "Jake wouldn't hurt a fly." Well, it wasn't a lie. He wouldn't. It's vampires that have to worry. And sometimes Paul.

Angela laughed. "Someone chose a side."

I wrinkled my nose. "Don't put it that way."

"Why?"

"Because that's pretty much the way it is."

"Jake doesn't like Edward."

"He's a Cullen. People on the reserve don't like them. And…"

"And?"

"Um, you know I went missing, right? Right after Edward left?" It was surprising how thinking about it didn't hurt at all anymore.

Angela nodded. "I had heard."

"Well, Sam, another guy from the reserve, is the one who found me. And I was pretty… I was in pretty rough shape."

Angela reached out and put a hand on my shoulder. "You could have talked to me at any time."

"It was more something I had to figure out myself. Well, Jake helped. But, you went to the same school, and school just reminded me of him. I'm sorry Angela."

She shook her head. "It's no problem. We all have our moments."

"Anyways, Sam found me wandering around in the woods, and he told Jake was happened to me. So Jake pretty much loathes Edward."

"Can't say I don't agree with him at times."

"So yeah, the lines were pretty drawn. And then I snuck out and saw Jake. You know, the barbecue I mentioned."

"Oh, that's why Alice was in such a sour mood."

"Yep."

"And they convinced you to break up with Edward."

"No, I convinced myself. First thing I did when I went there was ask them to forgive me for just dropping them when my boyfriend came back. I felt horrible about it."

"And now?"

I grinned. "Now their like family."

"Jake doesn't sound like brother material, the way you talk about it." My smile fell and I turned red. Angie grinned back. "I knew it!"

"Shut up, it's not like I planned it."

"So what happened?"

"Well, at the barbecue, we… kissed."

"You kissed? That's it? Bella, people don't blush for just kissing. This isn't the fifties."

I put my hands to my cheeks. "It was just kissing, but it was so much more. Edward is so reserved, so refined, so… close-mouthed. Jake was exactly the opposite."

"And?"

"And it was like the flood gates opened."

"And?" Angela was on the point of hysterical laughter.

"And I ripped his shirt in half." I got up and started walking around her room.

_"And?"_ She motioned her hands for more.

"And… and a couple of Jake's friend's showed up and I grabbed my bra and got the hell out of there."

Her face fell. "Aww, leave it to the friends to mess it up.... Wait, your bra?" Her eyebrows wiggled.

I scoffed. "He took off through one of my shirt sleeves. Nobody saw anything."

"Pity."

I sat down beside her and gave her a slight shove. "Way to be a total perv."

"I'm not usually big on gossip, no, but you looked like you were about to burst, so I knew it had to be good."

"Good, I thought you were turning into Jessica on me."

"I could bat my eyes and sigh dreamily if that helps?"

I made a face. "Please don't."

"Don't worry. It is romance that I'm a sucker for though, not gossip. My mother used to read me the more touching, less sexual parts of her trash novels to me when I was little and we had the day baking cookies or something. All about how the Duke of Lorraine took the young maiden into his arms and proclaimed his undying love for her under that old oak tree."

I rolled my eyes. "I bet your dad loved that."

"He's a Lutheran minister. It drove him up a wall. I spent my childhood stuck in a cliché, and my life goal was to be saved from some evil guy trying to marry me for my inheritance."

"And to think, I used to wonder about why you were so quiet."

"Yep, it's because I have nothing interesting to say." She laughed.

"So, any sage advice?"

"Advice? It sounds like you've got things pretty settled from where I stand."

"Are you kidding? I have no idea how do deal with Jake!"

Angela looked at me funny. "You don't want to go out with him."

"It's not that. It's the chronic problem I have of being unable to control myself around him. I kind of had that with Edward too. He was the one holding back. Now no one is, and I don't know what to do."

"Well, I'm not going tell you not to do whatever you feel comfortable with. There are worse people out there. I may not like gossip, but when you hang out with Jessica, you often have to hear it."

"Angie, have you and Ben… you know…"

She quirked an eyebrow at me. "We haven't done anything… hugely gossip worthy. I mean, we've done some stuff. Actually, Jessica would probably find it immensely gossip worthy. But, it's my dad that's the minister. Not me."

I laughed. "You mean like the stuff Jake and I did?"

"Yeah, pretty much down that alley."

"Well at least we don't have to deign to use a baseball metaphor."

"Well at least there's that. Seriously though, I'm probably not the best person to ask about this. You wouldn't have anyone else, would you?"

I grimaced. "Yeah. I do. But they both happen to have my ex as a sibling."

"Harsh. How fast… are things progressing?"

"Vacillating between nothing and the whole shebang."

"Oh wow."

"Wait till you hear what happened yesterday."

"What happened?"

"We were hanging out again and when I got here he was sleeping. So I tried to wake him up." Angela whistled. "Totally innocent!"

"Suuuure it was."

"Hey, it's not my fault he was naked."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Well then."

"No, it's not like that. He was covered. But he sleeps like the dead, and when I tried to shake him awake he grabbed me and pinned me, still asleep."

"An awkward situation if I've ever heard one."

"You have no idea. It's extremely safe to say Jake likes me."

"Hmm?" She looked at me inquisitively for a moment before her eyes widened. "Oh! What did you do?"

"Splutter."

"Well now I'm relieved, because you definitely aren't Jessica either."

Angela talked until well after dinner, and it was a relief. It felt so good to have girl time that didn't involve dancing vampires, even if I missed Alice a little. I drove home humming to myself again and finished a couple of pages of Bio before I went to bed.

* * *

The dream happened again, this time Edwardless. I wandered around my hot beach until warm arms wrapped around me and we ignited. I had always had nightmares, but I never used to remember the whole thing start to finish afterwards. The mind is a strange thing. I just wish I know what I was trying to tell myself.

I was getting ready when Alice called. She asked to come and pick me so that we could get right to our girl's night out after school. I agreed, my eyes nearly rolling out of my head.

When she came to get me she looked rather uncomfortable. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said, rotating your shoulder. "That friend of yours is just a drill sergeant. She worked us like dogs last night and the night before. Were I human, I'd be in traction."

_Now who's the dog?_ The voice in my head smirked louder than ever.

Stop it. I turned my attention back to Alice as we went to school.

School dragged on normally. More review and nothing mentionable going on, except the occasional dirty look from Lauren. Wednesday's incident had finally gotten all the way around school and a certain someone seemed to think I should be the one suspended for setting my friends on the perfectly unsuspecting. As if. I was happy when three o'clock rolled around even if it meant going shopping. I headed out of school after gym and saw Alice waiting out front… next to Rosalie in her BMW?

"Get in," said Alice, smiling. She sounded horribly chipper.

"What happened to your car?"

"Emmett's taking it home. Get in." The strange ring to her voice didn't leave.

I threw my bag in the trunk and got in the back. "Uh, hi Rosalie."

"Don't mind her," said Alice. "She insisted on coming."

"Well someone has to make sure you follow the rules."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Rules?"

"It's nothing," said Alice.

"It's so she doesn't try to guilt you into changing your mind," said Rosalie.

"Alice...." I chided.

"What? I certainly wasn't going to do anything. This was Carlisle's idea entirely."

"Well, I also like shopping."

"It's the only reason why I let you tag along." Rosalie scoffed at that.

"Come on guys, no fighting."

"Alright alright, let's talk about something else," said Alice.

"Where are we going anyways?" I asked.

"Port Angeles. It's too dangerous to go anywhere else. Not without more people."

"And Emmett didn't want to watch us try on 'frou frou dresses.' As if I'd let Alice dress you in anything frou frou."

"I wouldn't do that Rose, pink pales her colour."

"Good point. I saw a nice blue number last time I was in that little boutique…"

"Guys, it's a barbecue. Not the prom." My interjection mostly ignored and they discussed fashion for the time it took to get to Port Angeles. I headed sullenly towards the store I knew they were talking about when Rosalie grabbed me.

"Not that boutique. This one." She led me in front of a small store up the street. The storefront was wooden, with red and pink impatiens in the flower boxes on the windows and a pale purple sign declaring the stores name to be _The Language of Flowers_ and underneath the name there was a bouquet of flowers. It looked… quaint. I followed Rose and Alice inside and got a shock.

Inside the floor smelled lovely. The racks of clothes were spread around intermittent with great flower arrangements and the store, while not wide, was very long, and went far back leading to what looked like refrigerators full of flowers.

"It's part clothes store, part florist. You'll love it."

A friendly looking young woman came out from the back carrying a flower arrangement. "Oh, hi Rosalie, so good to see you again! And your sister Alice. And who might that be?"

"This is our friend Bella." Rosalie pushed me foreward.

"Bella, hmm? What a lovely name. I'm Miranda Jones."

She held out her hand and I shook it. "Interesting shop you have here."

She smiled brightly. "Thanks. It's a combination of my two passions: fashion and Victorian flower meanings."

"Flower meanings?" I asked, crinkling my nose.

She nodded. "Flower meanings. In the Victorian ages you could send entire messages with a bouquet. We still used some of it, like how red roses mean love. I took it a step further." She pointed to the racks of clothes. "Everything here is coloured according to flowers. Why just give your messages when you can wear them I say."

"Wait, so you dye everything to look like your flowers?"

"Yep. So what can I do for you? Another bouquet Rosalie."

Rosalie shook her head. "Nope, clothes shopping for Bella."

Miranda's eyes lit up. "Well, I'll let you look around and you can just shout for me if you need anything."

"Will do," said Alice shuffling me towards a rack of clothes.

The style of the store was surprisingly nice. It was mostly casual to somewhat dressy, if a little girly, and a store I could get into, that is, if I got into stores. Alice and Rosalie went to work right away pulling me along and having me try on everything in the store.

"I kind of like this one," I said about a white sundress.

Rosalie shook her head. "It's white carnation. You don't want to be wearing disdain."

Alice concurred. "Plus it's just asking to get barbecue sauce on it."

I sighed. "Poor Emily."

"Who's Emily?" Asked Alice.

I gulped. My circles of friends were so split that it sometimes felt awkward talking about them to each other. "Emily is Sam's fiancée. Last week I helped her cook, so she's doing it all alone today."

"Well it can't be that hard," said Rose.

"You haven't seen them eat. Last week we filled my entire truck. And those were just the side dishes."

"So what do you do at these… soirees anyways?" Rosalie asked waving a hand. "I mean besides watch a bunch of dogs eat like… a bunch of dogs."

I rolled my eyes and ignored the growling in my head. "I don't know, hang out I guess."

"Well, what did you do at the last one?" asked Alice.

I thought back to last weekend and felt my face go red as the memory of Jake's hands and lips flooded my brain. I tripped over my own shoes and I struggled to get back into the changing room giving them a hurried. "Nothing much." I heard Alice gasp from inside the small booth.

"Bella Swan!"

Rosalie chuckled. "You couldn't tell she liked the dog? Why do you think I'm not having her wear clothes coloured after a white carnation. She needs to make an impression on him."

"No she doesn't!"

"I agree Alice, she seems to already have made an impression on him, from the look on her face."

I hurriedly put another dress on and opened the door. "It's not like I planned it, ok Alice? It just…." I shrugged, my arms waving. "Happened."

Alice looked at me gaped mouthed.

"Alice, put your tongue back in, even if the thought of her copulating with that–"

"Now hold it right there!" I said cutting Rosalie off._ "That _didn't happen! It did" They both raised their eyebrows at me. "I mean liking him," I said, exasperated.

"Don't you think it's a little soon?" said Alice.

"You don't have to tell me that, believe me, it's extremely soon. And mind boggling. And…."

Rosalie's laughter cut off my train of thought. "Don't be so quick to agree with her Bella. You forget she becomes friends with people before she even meets them. Sometimes all it takes is a look. Like me and Emmett." She got up and surveyed me. "Speaking of which, this is the dress. Alice?"

Alice stopped looking like a fish and resumed flitting about me. "It's… it's really nice actually. And purple at that."

I looked down. The dress I had on was thigh length and in some light flowy material. It was a light purple with trimming on it that was a slightly different shade of purple. Cap sleeves empire waist (Just like the cotton dress, I allowed myself to think) and long and flowy, the trimming mostly taking the form of embroidered flowers all over the skirt of the dress. Alice always thought blue to be my colour but this dress was just fantastic. Light enough to highlight how fair I was but not pale so I didn't look like a ghost.

"And these," said Rosalie, placing a purple pair of ballet flats that matched the trim on the dress in front of me. "They'll be comfortable, I promise. I have a pair in green."

I looked at the tags. "Lilac and lavender rose. What do those flowers mean?"

Rose started to talk before she stopped herself with a smile. "They mean… actually I think we should make that one a surprise. So don't open the tags up. And no googling it."

I sighed. "Can't you just tell me?"

"Don't worry Bells, I'm not making you wear anything bad, like revenge or sickness. It's just… more fun this way."

I sniffed. "Fine…. But only because I like the dress."

Alice clapped her hands and turned to Rosalie. "She likes it!"

Rosalie elbowed her. "You didn't pick it out."

"No, but this is a joyous occasion. A successful shopping trip with Bella. We'll convert her yet."

I rolled my eyes and Alice pushed me to the counter to pay for the dress and shoes. "Find everything alright?" asked Miranda. I nodded. "Good good. Let's see what we have here. Lilac and lavender rose, hmm? Going on a date?"

What had Rosalie gotten me into? "Uh, not really."

"Rose said to tape the tags together. Whatever it means is supposed to be a surprise."

"Ah," said Miranda with a knowing smile. "Well then, I won't spoil it."

I let Alice handle paying and turned around to see Rosalie brushing her hand across one of the racks. She picked up a skirt, looked at it almost sadly and put it back.

I walked over to her. "Is something wrong Rose?"

She looked up at me and smiled slightly, drawn out of the trance she was in. "Oh… it's nothing, really. Violet," she said, pointing to the skirt. "My eyes used to be that colour. Faithfulness. How ironic."

"Why is it ironic?" I asked, confused.

"That's right, I never told you."

"Told me what?"

At that moment, Alice came back with the bag. "Come on Bella, let's go," said Rosalie, leading us out of the store. When we got outside she turned to me. "You hungry?"

"Yeah, a little actually."

"Alice, could you get her some takeout or something. I need to talk to her."

Alice looked like she was about to protest until her eyes when slightly hazy. "Oh… yeah sure, I'll get something." She gave Rosalie a squeeze on the arm and headed off towards McDonalds.

"Let's walk," said Rosalie, already headed for the walkway by the water. I followed her and we walked in silence for a while, before she spoke again. "I never told you why I voted against turning you."

"Sure you have," I said. "You said it wasn't your choice to become a vampire."

"But I never said why." She started her story. It began with Rosalie Hale, beautiful socialite and light of her parent's eyes, and then ended, to my utter shock, in a back alley in the mud.

"Did they…?" I could get the word 'rape to go past my lips as she looked back at me sadly.

She slowly nodded. "When Royce was… done, he got up and said, 'I guess I'll have to find a new wife now.' They left me there and I waited to die. I didn't want to live after that shame. But Carlisle found me and here I am." She walked on in silence, before saying, "Sometimes I still resent him for it. Even with Emmett and all the good things I have. My life is incomplete. I wanted a child more than anything. I guess you could say I'm living vicariously through you, and your ability to be alive. I hate women sometimes. We go to places and I hear girls your age talk about pregnancy like it's a curse and a death sentence. Others never appreciate what they have and have 'mistake children.' Meanwhile I'd give anything for chance to be able to make that mistake."

I put an arm around Rose' shoulder. "I'm so sorry Rosalie."

She blinked back tears that would never come and smiled tightly. "Don't be sorry for me. I did better than most. Better than Esme and much better than Edward. Almost as good as Carlisle." She turned to me and whispered. "I never tasted human blood." She backed up a little. "But I did kill humans. Five of them. Royce and his friends. And his guards, so make that seven. It was all very dramatic, I stalked them and when it came to Royce I killed him in a wedding gown. Very careful not to break the skin though. I didn't want to lose control." I shivered as Rosalie became suddenly more cold than usual. "I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you Bella, it's just… I can't stand to see you throw all that life away. And now you're not. And I don't care if you buddy up with wolf-boy junior, so long as you live."

"It's ok Rosalie. I've seen more disturbing things. I was in Volterra remember?"

She laughed lightly. "I guess so. I'm sure Alice is done by now."

We headed back and I ate on a bench while talking to them both. After hearing Rosalie's story and spending and entire day in a store I was incredibly worn out. I got them to drive me home and even though it was only quarter to nine I went to bed to make sure I was fully rested for tomorrow.

* * *

I opened my eyes to a hazy beach. But something had changed. I wasn't in the water or on my log. I was already surrounded by hot bronze arms. Looking around lavender rose petals were strewn across the beach intermingled with sprigs of lilac. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sweet scent and the warmth.

Jacob twirled a lilac sprig about in his fingers. "Hmmm." His breath was warm and spicy and his voice reverberated through his chest and into my back. I pressed closer to him, never wanting it to end.

"You aren't afraid anymore, are you?"

I shook my head. I knew what was coming. I didn't like it, but it always came. That made it sure. No worry or stress, I would already be burning. I didn't even have to think.

"Good," he said, tossing the flower down. "Because it's time for it to end."

"End?" I asked, becoming concerned.

He nodded. "We had to come to this point sometime. It's time."

"It's time." I looked to my left to see that Ve had materialised beside us. She put a hand on Jake's shoulder and smiled at me.

"Yes. It's time." Another person was on the other side of us. He was native, but I'd never seen him before. His steel grey eyes bore into me and filled me, with what I didn't know. I had the sneaking feeling he belonged with Ve. Or with Jake. Maybe both of them.

Jake rolled me off of him and stood up, bringing me with him. We were alone again, and he wrapped his arms around me, turning me to face away from him. He swayed and hummed in time with his own primal music, rocking me with him, and brushed the air out of my eyes.

"Are you ready?" He opened his right hand to reveal a perfect lavender coloured rose blossom. I took it from him and cradled it in my hands as he cradled me.

"I'm ready."

He gripped me tight and we ignited. The first burned brighter and hotter than ever before. We lifted right away, and I screamed, screamed even though my throat burned away and my lungs turned to husks. I screamed and kicked even though I didn't have legs or a mouth… and yet I did. I had a whole body and it was unharmed and on fire.

We rose higher and higher and faster and faster, and I looked down, with and without eyes, to see the beach flying away from us as we went past the clouds and the world went black.

The fire roared in my ears and I began to feel compacted as everything I had ever been and would ever be pushed in on me and Jake until we fused and then it, our lives, his and mine, pushed harder until we were nothing but a tiny speck.

And then we exploded.

The heavens moved. Celestial bodies shifted and flew around us. Gravities changed and reaffixed. We were will burning, but we were one, inseparable and enormous. I opened my eyes in awe and watched Jupiter and its moons fly by.

The sun. Jake was the sun. And now so was I.

A/N: Just so you guys know, this is only half of what I have done. I began looking at what I had written and what I had left to write and decided that this needed to be split up. So you're going to get another chapter either later today or tomorrow. Hopefully today. That should make up for the weeks gone.

For music we have Rammstein, particularly Rosenrot, and the Broker Radio soundtrack from GTA IV. I don't know if they have anything to do with the story either.

So drop me a review and I hope you enjoyed!


	7. Paris Triumphant

A/N: As promised, here's that other chapter, a little later than hoped, but not by much. Vinh: No prob, I found it more amusing than anything. Like, dammit, that's exactly what I was going to write! Not much to say, so let's get to it.

Bella POV

I woke up without being in a warm sweat for the first time in a week. That dream was the most vivid I had ever had, but I was not going to let it affect me. I put my dress on, followed by my shoes and ate a quick breakfast as I waited for Alice to come in through my window.

"Wow, you're up early," she said as she climbed in.

"I went to bed early. I was really tired."

"I can imagine. What Rosalie said was pretty heavy."

Alice hurried herself putting on my make up and doing my hair. "Do you have to go so fast?"

"I don't know how much your wolf friends will like you when you smell like me. Now stop moving so I don't burn you." She always said that, but she never did, no matter how much I moved.

Moments later she turned me to face the mirror. "There!"

I looked. She had done my face in neutral tones with a light pink lip gloss and my hair went from its usual flat straight self to wavy. I looked nice, but not over dressed. I think one might call it sweet. I would, of course, roll my eyes at one for doing that. "Thank you Alice, where would I be without you?"

"Jeans, t-shirt and a pony tail," she said in mock distaste.

My hands shook slightly and I wrung them together. "Look, I know you don't like this, Alice."

"Of course I don't. But I'm not going to let it stop us from hanging out. You may be going to party with animals, but I'm not going to stand by and have you look like one."

I chuckled. "For all your differences, you're extremely alike."

"I'll have you know I'm extremely offended by that."

"Whatever."

"Here." She wiped a bit of stray lip gloss off the side of my mouth. "Now get outta here before I change my mind."

I rolled my eyes. "Bye Alice." She made her way back out the window.

I grabbed my purse and got into my truck. I took my time driving, enjoying the view, and by the time I got to La Push, it was noon. I pulled into Sam's father's driveway and made my way around back. Emily smiled at me from the fire pit.

"Hey Bella. Wow, you look nice."

"Thanks, Alice and Rosalie helped."

"Maybe they can give me a make over," she said, jokingly. I didn't know about that. Rosalie may be less shallow than I thought she was, but I don't know if I wanted her around Emily. I don't think she could help but look down at her.

"Anything I can do."

"Nope, I kicked everyone's ass into gear since you weren't here. It's all done."

"Where's Jake?"

Her smile fell. "I'm sorry Bella, he just went out on patrol. He won't be back for awhile."

My heart stopped thudding. "It's ok. I'll see him later."

Her smile returned. "Come on. Ve's already into the dessert I think. Nobody likes raspberries more than that girl."

Sure enough, when we headed to the food tent, Ve was half way through a plate of raspberry trifle and looked to be in heaven.

"Oh, it is so good. I must have this recipe. Though I'll never have the time to make it." She wrinkled her nose and put her plate down. "I thought this would come in handy. Come on Bella." Next thing I knew she had taken me behind the food tent and was spritzing me down with a water bottle.

"What is this?" I asked, squinting through the impromptu shower.

"Clove oil perfume. Don't worry, it won't stain. You just smell like vampire."

"Tell me next time. Ack!" I shielded myself from her onslaught.

"There. All better."

"Geez." I smoothed down my dress and made sure my hair was ok.

"You look very nice Bella."

"Thanks, even though you just attacked me with a water bottle."

"It's how I face my greatest foes." She quirked her eyebrow in such a way that I had to laugh, even though I tried not to.

"Fine, fine, I understand, vampires smell bad to you."

"My apologies for being so over zealous."

"Forgiven."

She laughed at me and we sat down with Emily and talked. After a while the pack started showing up and things started to liven up.

"Emily, I missed you," Sam said placing a kiss on her head. "Bella… you look really nice."

I blushed and mumbled my thanks, and then did it again when I got the same from Leah, Seth, and even Paul. Embry and Quil came by and said much of the same.

"She looks like a princess," said the little girl on Quil's shoulder's.

"Yes, she does, Claire. Good to see you Bella." He smiled at me and took the little girl inside.

"Aww, was that his sister?" I asked watching him make sure she didn't hit her head on the door frame. Emily snorted and nearly spat up what she was eating and Ve grinned.

"Not exactly," said Emily, wiping her mouth. "That's my cousin."

Then that was a little odd that he was carrying her around like that. "Well he sure is nice to kids."

Ve kept grinning. "Not all kids. Just that one."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because that's his imprint."

My eyes shot open. **"Whaaat?"** Ve and Emily broke out into belly laughs. "What's so funny? That's sick, she can't be more than four!"

"It's not like that Bella," said Emily wiping her mouth. "Imprinting isn't just attraction, it's… friendship, protection."

"What she means is that Claire just got the best big brother she could ever ask for."

"Well, when you put it that way, I guess it's less weird."

"My brother actually imprinted on his wife when she was in the womb."

Both Emily and I whipped our heads back towards Ve and stared, gaping at her.

"See Bella, now that's weird…."

"How is that even possible?!"

Ve laughed at me. "Sometimes the soul knows what it wants right away. It's actually how we found out the mother was pregnant. Poor girl, she was the imprint of one of the 'favourite sons' of a neighbouring band of Dorset. It was an awkward few weeks. But it all worked out fine in the end."

"What about you Ve?" asked Emily?

Ve smiled. "Some other times it takes the soul forever to figure it out."

"You didn't imprint?"

"No, I have imprinted. It just wasn't the first time I met that person."

"Well," said Emily, grinning. "Go on."

Ve rolled her eyes. "Gossip… well, fine. But I will have to start a little earlier than that to give understanding." We both nodded and slid closer. "I should like to start with my father. My father was one of the men in Leif Erikson's party, Ragnar Thorrson, or, as his shipmates called him, Ragnar Redmane. He was a good man, and a little different from much of the rest of his crew."

"How so?" I asked.

"Leif was a Christian. I remember the little hut that served as their church. They told me God lived there. I thought their God must be very small then." She laughed and shook her head. "My father conversely was pagan. His mother was a völva. You would call her a wise woman or a witch. He inherited his eyes from her. She had what you might tenebrously call 'the sight.' Really, all it means is that she can tell when something is… supernaturally atypical when she sees it."

"Do you have it too?"

She nodded. "The fact that I can generally smell them as well also helps. But needless to say, when my father's boat landed and he first met the skraelings, as they called my people, he could tell that something was… strange about us. It interested him."

"Wow, to be able to tell by looking," murmured Emily.

"It is useful." Her strange blue eyes slid back towards the table. "He was a lesser son. In those days, it meant he got a lesser portion of inheritance. This is why he signed up with Leif, he wanted to make his fortune. The relationship between the Norse and the Dorset was always tenuous. They would trade sometimes and be at war others. Once they caught the daughter of one of what you would call the chiefs. We didn't have a single ruler. There were two councils, one of the old women and an undercouncil of the most experienced warriors. This girl was the daughter of the highest ranking one. When my father found out that they essentially had captured royalty, if you could call it that, he agreed to release her without ransom on one condition.

"What was that?"

She smiled at Emily's question. "That she marry him. It was a better prospect than he ever had at home. My grandfather must have been quite surprised. A meeting had been arranged to negotiate prisoner return and instead of having to hand over any of the furs he brought, he got his daughter back as well as the bride price my father offered him. This was not Dorset custom, and they rather liked the metal trinkets my father gave them. It was unlike anything they'd ever seen before. So he accepted. And soon after that, my existence began. We lived sometimes with Leif's camp and sometimes with the Dorset. It was a happy marriage. They both astonished each other, my father in particular. The Dorset only spawn shape shifters once every several generations. 10 or so, and then only some of the children will make it. We suspect it is because when we imprint, our mates eventually change as well. Another Dorset peculiarity. Also, we breed true, so every one of our children would be one as well. So my mother was a 'carrier' as you would call it, but not a wolf. My uncle, on the other hand, was, the early indicator of a new pack that would come in my generation. So you can imagine her surprise when my father asked what was different about her brother."

Emily laughed. "I know it would shock me if someone suddenly asked what was different about Sam."

"Indeed. As it turned out, my father could point out every shape shifter in their band and even knew which ones were old. I remember being frightened when they hauled him out of our tent one next and dragged him bound before the council. I couldn't have been more than two. I thought they were going to execute him."

"You can remember that far back?" I asked, astonished.

"My memories of my father are very vivid. He was an enigmatic person. Anyways, they were going to execute him. Fortunately, one of the old women asked him about his eyes. He told them of Norse magic, and even showed them some runes."

"Runes?"

She reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a pebble, then began scratching it. I looked on in amazement to see her fingernails turn into claws.

"How are you–"

She waved a hand cutting me off. "Another Dorset peculiarity. We can shift our features slowly."

"I seem to remember you telling me that there weren't anymore differences when you explained your voice box."

"Apologies. I cannot always remember all the little details." She finished her carving and the pebble had what looked like a little stick tree on it, like how a child would draw a pine, but with only six boughs. "This is a Tiwaz stack. Bind runes can have many meanings. Some act as personal sigils, others have a purpose. This one means protection, since it's the rune of the God Tyr. Here, you seem like you might need it." She handed the pebble to me. I rubbed my thumb over the carving and put it in my purse. "When they saw my father's ways, they relaxed and let him go, especially when he told him about his mother. I think they were more afraid of getting cursed than anything else.

"Eventually, Leif's party left. My father decided to stay behind. He lived until I was nearly fifteen. We were seen somewhat as outsiders, so, to prove himself, whenever there was trouble of a human nature, my father always volunteered to be on the front line, so to speak." Her eyes shone as she remembered. "He was a true berserker they told me. Always rushing out with an axe like a man possessed. They could neither deny his use nor his devotion to his family after that. It even looked like they were going to let him on the warrior's council. But then, during one war with a neighbouring tribe, they set their shape shifters out on the field. My father knew immediately. He risked his life running at a dead sprint through the trees to get my uncle, and then ran back out with them to help the humans get home. They caught him when he was on the way back. He sacrificed himself for our warriors."

I rubbed Ve's back as a tear slipped down her cheek.

"My uncle managed to bring up back alive, but he was beyond help. Right before he died he called my brother and me to him. He pressed our inheritance in our hands with the last of his strength and told me that I was Alve Ragnarsdottir, and to never forget where we come from or our birth right."

Emily wrinkled her nose. "He sounded adamant."

Ve sighed. "Despite my father proving himself again and again, some were still against him. My mother was from a high ranking family, one which had produced many great shape shifters. They saw it as a waste of good blood."

"That's horrible."

"That is life. You cannot please everyone. One in particular I could not please was Luka."

"Luka?"

"Yes, Luka. That was not his Dorset name of course." She smiled at me. "I am one of the few that remain of my tribe, as I have said. Some people like to share their culture when it is near gone. Others like to keep it close. I fall into the latter group. I generally don't like to share my language with people. I suppose it has something to do with finding my father's heritage. What I learned from him was only bits and pieces. I worshipped his gods, but knew very little about them. It felt like half my heritage was missing. By the time this Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean, the shape shifters of the Americas had formed something like the European Council. We were, at times, still each other's enemies, but we knew that there were bigger things to face. So when Columbus did land, it only took months for word from the shape shifters there to pass north, as I happened to be back in Newfoundland at that time. One day I heard the strangest thing from a passing Deer-man. They had seen pale faces in the south. I thought it was my father's people"

"So you went to see them?"

Ve shook her head. "No, I knew what my father said must have been real. So I swam to Greenland, then Iceland, and found them. The descendants of my father's mother. An old woman with hair and eyes like mine used to talk to me in my dreams and she led the way. They knew what I was the moment they saw me, and invited me into their home. I brought my family over, and we spent the next almost four hundred years travelling the Old World as it was called, seeing half of the planet that I never even thought was there. I was the first to get in contact with the European council, and meet Marius, the Great Wolf of Rome as they call him, who still leads the Council to this day. I took care to learn various Scandinavian languages and lived their customs, filling my life with what I had missed for so long. I believe it colours the way I speak English?"

That was it. Her accent. It was very faintly Scandinavian, Norwegian or something. "Yes, it does."

She nodded. "It is my fathers culture I portray most often because I lived without it for so long. My mother's culture I keep close to my heart. But I still love to engage in it whenever I can. I just don't see my brother that often. He currently lives in Nunavut. And my children are grown and flung across the planet. Only when I stretch my mind to its limits can I hear their wolves. I really must arrange a family reunion." She laughed and scooped more trifle onto her plate. "Now, where was I? Ah yes, Luka. Luka was the son of another high ranking warrior, in the generation after my mother's father. There were two 'royal' families, if you could call them that, in our band, my mother's and Luka's. He was my age, few years older than me, and particularly tormenting of me."

"Asshole," said Emily.

Ve broke out into laughter. "I suppose some would call him that. I of course, had to adore him. It was not bad when we were children, but when he changed, he hated me something fierce. My father was dead by then, and Luka used to particularly enjoy taunting me on how neither I nor my brother would ever be Spirit Warriors unless someone imprinted on us. Well, we sure showed him."

"This I gotta hear." Emily said.

"I was seventeen, my brother sixteen. Another war started with a tribe from farther away who were moving in on our land. Fox people, small and vicious, as well as crafty. They lured all of our wolves out into the battle field and then had some of their warriors and shape shifters come and attack our village."

Emily and I both gasped. "Sneaky little bastards," I said.

"I could see them coming through the woods and ran to the elder's tent. When I looked behind me, I saw the tent my brother was in explode. I feared the worse: that they were on us. I ran back towards it and saw them all come on of the forest, five of them."

"What happened?'

"In reality, one had made it to my brother Magni's tent, but as soon as they got in, it happened. He changed and ripped the Fox apart, exploding the tent in the process. Meanwhile, as I stared down those five shape shifters, I felt the world slow around me. And then I heard it."

"Heard what?" I asked, the suspense killing me.

"The other wolves. So many confused voices, wondering why most of the shape shifters weren't in the field. I called out to them saying they were in the camp, and Luka's surprised voice answered me. Then I exploded out of my skin and charged the shape shifters. My brother followed out of the hut, and somehow, with our new found strength, we managed to hold them off until everyone else got back. Some died, but many more would have followed them if we had not had changed at that very moment."

Emily laughed. "So what did Luka say to that?"

She gave Emily a knowing look. "His usual disdain. Oh, he was shocked, but then he reamed us both out for not saving everything. Our wolf structure was multi-tiered as well. He was the alpha of the younger pack. So I became my father. I was first on the field, first to attack, and put myself in the most dangerous situation. I would make him admit my worth if it killed me."

"And did you?"

She smiled at me. "One day, during the changing of the guard, as it were, he was going out and I was coming in. He walked by me, well into me. He looked back, waiting for me to challenge him and our eyes locked."

"And did you kick his ass?" asked Emily.

"Oh no, my dear, we both imprinted."

My eyes went wide. "You imprinted on Luka!"

"I most certainly did. And he on me. There in front of a dozen bystanders."

"Well, you said you liked him, so I guess it was good."

She shook her head smiling. "No, I was _horrified._ I refused him for months. I was so determined to do well so that he would have to acknowledge my merit that if felt like I was being cheated out of my satisfaction."

"You refused him?"

"Yes," she said laughing. "Though it pained me to do so, I did. Oh, and he did try. He followed me around where I went and gave me all sorts of gifts. It was most unfortunate, he spent so long tormenting me and now he had to figure out how to woo me."

"So what happened?"

"One of his presents was a beautiful carving, with pearls for eyes. He made it himself and I still have it, though I keep it at the council headquarters."

"And that won you over?"

She shook her head. "No, I put it back in his hut when he was away. That was the straw that broke the camels back, as you say. He found me and informed me that he was done with my foolishness and expected me in his hut when get got back from hunting. I, of course, wasn't there. So he went on a rampage through the camp, turning over every rock until he found me, threw me over his shoulder and carried me kicking and screaming back to his hut. He plopped me down and ordered to me start cooking and that I had better be there when he got back or he was going to beat my ass raw in the middle of town."

"That's awful," said Emily.

Ve shrugged. "He got his point across. I was there when he came back, with a giant basket of raspberries."

"So that's why it's your favourite," I guessed.

She shook her head. "No, my father has always liked them because they had raspberries in Europe too. I was shocked, and doubly so when he said he knew I like them."

"How did he know?"

"He always knew. He always liked me. As it turned out he found the bush a month before and was trying to get be to his tent since then so he could give me the damned berries as a surprise. When he changed it was his mother who told him that he deserved much better than a half breed. She always resented the nice things my mother got out of the deal. Teasing me was the only relationship he could have with me that his mother would approve of."

"That's such a boy move," said Emily, shaking her head and laughing. Ve nodded in agreement.

"At least it has a happy ending," I pointed out. "Where is he now?'

Ve smiled wistfully. "That, I think is a story for another day. Besides, Jacob is back."

I looked over my shoulder to see Jake and Sam walk into the backyard. "Oh, thanks," I said to Ve and got up to go greet him.

Jake's face lit up as he saw me. "Bella!" He bounded over to me and wrapped me his muscled arms around me.

"Jake… Jake… air!" I gasped as he finally let go.

"Sorry, I get carried away. Wow Bell, you look great."

"I do?" I could feel my face blush.

"Yeah, where'd you get the dress from?"

"Oh, just this place in Port Angeles. Um… Alice and Rosalie helped me pick it out."

He raised an eyebrow. "The vampires? Really?"

"Yeah, why?"

"It's nothing. I just would have thought they wouldn't dress you so nice to come see me."

I guess I could see his point. "Well it was mostly Rosalie."

He waved a hand. "Nevermind, I'm just glad you're here. Come on."

We walked over to one of the benches in the yard. His hand fell into mine and I fell back into the total comfort zone that I was always in when I was with Jake.

"So how did it go?"

"The patrol? Oh, boring as hell." He splayed my hand across his and played with his fingers.

"I'm sorry you have to go out every day because of me."

"Don't worry about it Bella, it's no problem."

"No, it is, you're tired all the time."

"You're worth it."

Leave it to Jake to know all the ways to get my face red. We got up and walked back over to the rest of the pack.

"Hey again Sam," I said, prying him away from Emily for the time being.

"Hey Bella."

"How is everything going?"

He sighed. "The two boys are having a rough time. Still haven't gotten control of their phasing yet. It might be because they're so young."

"That's too bad," I said frowning. "I hope they do better."

"I hope so to. We could use the help."

I nodded. It must be hard having to split up the day into four all the time. Two more bodies would definitely help. I refused to mope about how they were doing this all for me, so instead I said. "So what are we doing?"

"The Elder's private meeting just got out and they're headed here."

"Why weren't you with them?"

"Ve and I talked to them earlier. When they get here I believe Billy is going to be doing some story-telling, isn't he Jake."

Jake nodded.

"Story-telling? What stories?"

"Just the Quileute legends," said Jake smiling.

"The ones you told me?"

"Yeah, but you haven't heard them until you've heard my dad tell them."

* * *

Boy was he right. Soon after that a few cars pulled up and Billy, Sue Clearwater, Joshua Uley and others got out of them. We built up a big bonfire and gathered round as Billy prepared to talk. I stifled a chuckle as Emily handed out notebooks and pencils. It was like they were taking a class. But I suppose that they kind of were. What they thought were just legends turned out to be their actual history.

Billy's voice sounded out over the fire, a low gravely sound as he began his story. He talked about the origin of the Quileute shape shifters, about Taha Aki, the loss of his body to Utlapa, the meeting of the wolf and the sacrifice of his Third Wife. I looked on in awe as I watched history in action, seeing Billy emote and change his voice as he portrayed different characters and different times of the story. I gasped as he got to the part with the Vampires and how similar it sounded to Victoria and James. All of those shape shifters killed by two vampires, I couldn't imagine what thirty would do given half the chance. When he got to the Third Wife, I wondered if that would be me, if I would have to sacrifice myself to keep them safe. I hoped not. It made it feel like this past week would be all for naught.

When he finished, he gave the floor to Quil Sr., who was, if possible, more enigmatic than Billy. The quiet was he recounted the meeting with the Cullens was almost haunting. Then he got to the part about Ve.

"Sometime after our ancestors made the treaty with the Cold Ones, Quil Ateara, who I was named after, was running one day. He was known throughout our tribe as having sharp eyes. During his run he saw something darting through the forest, white and blue and orange. He ran after it, but it was two fast. So he howled to let his brothers know there was trouble, and this made it stop and turned around. He ran out into a clearing and there he saw the wolf, large like he was, with magnificent colours spread over it. He tried to talk to the wolf with his spirit, and the wolf answered back in a woman's voice. He was stunned, but listened to her. The she-wolf told him her story, how she was old and how there were others like us, all over this world. She called it the Great Council. His brothers, alarmed from his call, appeared from the trees and saw with their own eyes where the female voice was coming from.

"She told them all of this Great Council, something we Quileute had forgotten of and in turn we told her of Taha Aki and our ancestors. Our stories brought a happy light to her eyes and she asked to be our patron in this Council. She told us of the people she protected, the wars she fought, and the friends she had made. We admired these things. We agreed to her request. She stayed with our ancestors two weeks and taught them many things. However, she was a great warrior and had to move on, though our ancestors were hungry for more knowledge. She gave us a way to contact the Council, should we ever need their help. We held onto it, not knowing if this council truly existed. But the Cold Ones came back, as I have told you. And with them they brought dangers. We needed this Council's help and we used what the She-Wolf gave us. They answered our call, and once again the She-Wolf came, to teach our new pack her great knowledge." He gestured his hand towards Ve and she bowed her head to him. Sound clamoured around me as the pack gave up a great roar. Jacob hollered at my side and flinched as put her fingers to her lips and gave the most piercing whistle I have ever heard.

Ve stood up as Quil Sr. gave the floor to her. "You have come far my friends."

Another cheer sounded out.

She smiled and her eyes shown and I felt like I could take on the entire newborn army by myself. "You have come far and you have come long, and you find yourself here on the brink of war, unafraid!" My ears fell prey to the thunder again, even though this time I found myself joining in the ruckus. "If I could lead you into battle, I would, gladly. But I have seen your skill, and though you are young, and though you are new, you Quileute amaze me! I have not seen such ferocity and heart since I took this battle to the Cold Ones front steps in Germany!" Another cheer. "In the forests of Bavaria, we brought the fight to them and we ended them! I have no doubt, not a single thought in my mind that you will not win. You will face this threat and you will beat it, and I will sing your praises to the Council personally!" We hollered and cheered again. "And then, my young friends, then we will take this fight to them again! With your help we will take this fight to them in Italy and we will tear down the Volturi's walls and we will dance on their ashes!" The boom that came was almost deafening. "We will bring to them fire! We will bring to them ruin! And when we do you will earn your place in history!" Another cheer. "So I ask you today, are you with me?"

"Yes!"

"Are you with me?"

"Yes!"

Ve then screamed something to them in Quileute and they screamed it back. She came around to each of us with a handful of ashes from the fire, throwing it over us and saying the same thing. She even did it to me, ending with a "Little sister."

"What does that mean?"

"It means let your wolf guide you."

"But I don't have one."

She grinned at me. "I wouldn't be so sure."

"Come on, let's go for a walk." I turned to see that Jake had already gotten up."

"Alright." I took his hand and we headed for the beach. The sun had just set and the world was a lovely blue.

"So, did you have fun? I mean, I'm sorry I wasn't there, we had issues."

"Issues, I thought you said patrol was boring."

He sucked in a breath. "It was, we mostly just followed the newborn's scent to see where he got in, but then we found something."

"Something?"

"Another scent. It wasn't vampire, but it wasn't human. We didn't even know what it was."

"What about Ve?"

"I don't think our description was all that good." He frowned.

We walked in silence for awhile, with me biting my lip. "You weren't too angry about Wednesday, were you?"

He exhaled and looked to be in thought. "Well I didn't like what I saw, but I can't really be angry at you. I'm just angry at him."

"Why?"

"Do I need a reason? He's a monster douchebag who's tormented you for a year." I stifled a chuckle, but it didn't work. "See, even you agree."

I shook my head, laughing. "Monster douchebag…. Where do you come up with this stuff?"

"What can I say, I'm a damned wordsmith."

"And a cocky asshole to boot."

"Hey!"

We were at the log again, the object which would be irrevocably tied to us, thanks to my dreams. I sat down beside him still holding his hand. I leaned into him, grasping aimlessly at the sand that had piled on the bench and letting it run through my hands. We fell silent again and stayed that way for minutes. I took the time to review the day in my head.

Eventually, Jake spoke again. "Whatcha thinking about?"

"Nothing." My mind had started to drift and I was almost on the point of falling asleep.

"You sound tired."

"I'm not really. I guess I am thinking of something."

"What's that?"

"Ve told us about her dad and her husband today. I was just wondering how people who lived so long ago can be just like people today."

"Nothing changes I guess."

I shook my head, still leaning against him. "Everything changes."

"Then some things always stay the same."

"I guess. What are you thinking about?"

"The last time we were on his bench."

I looked up and he was smirking. "Perv."

"Look, a shooting star."

"Don't change the subject, perv."

"I'm serious." He gently turned my head just in time to see the white streak across the sky.

"Well look at that."

"I guess we have to make a wish."

"I guess so." I closed my eyes, even though it was silly and wished that we'd all make it out of this ok. Somehow, I didn't think it was going to come true. I opened my eyes again, and saw Jake smiling down at me.

"So what did you wish for?"

"Won't it not come true if you say it?"

"Nah, I think that's just birthday candles."

I laughed. "I wished that you guys wouldn't get hurt."

"Crap, that one's so much better than mine."

"Why, what did you wish for?"

"For you to start kissing me again."

I laughed at him and threw my handful of sand in his face. "Edward may be a monster douchebag but you're a monster perv."

Jake shook his head, trying to get the sand out of his eyes. "I can't help it, it's in my nature. And, good God woman, my eyes! It's always my goddamned eyes."

"Don't be a baby."

He wiped his face, blinked and wiped again. "Crap, it's like you got it all in there."

I rolled my eyes. "Here, let me see." I pulled a kleenex out of my purse and moved his hands away. Perched almost on his lap, standing so that I could actually be taller than him, I helped him. "Stop that, you'll just make it worse. Open. Now close." I put the Kleenex at his eyelids and told him to blink, then carefully wiped the sand away. "Ok, I guess it was a pretty good shot. Other one…. Ok, now is that better?"

He blinked a few times. "I think so." He opened his eyes again when they were sand free and looked up at me.

Our eyes locked.

My heart caught in my throat.

* * *

Jacob POV

The trees flew by me as I circled back to Forks towards Bella's house.

_This way Jared._

_Coming._

I padded up to the tree line as I made it there. It was still there, the newborn's scent, but it wasn't alone.

_There's more than one._

_ I know Jared, but all the rest are Cullen._

_ You sure?_

_ Yeah, it's the little one. She and Bella were supposed to something yesterday I think._

_ But the scent's fresh?_

_ I don't know why, but it's definitely the little one._

Jared padded around the backyard a few times, sniffing.

_Yeah, I smell it now. The newborn came this way._

_ Yep._

We raced back out along the trail and out of the city proper. From there it started to swerve and double back on itself.

_What the hell was it thinking?_ I sat down a moment, scratching my ear, before getting back on the trail.

Jared laughed. _I think he though he'd be confusing us._

_ No way, these trails are too close together._

_ I never said he was good at it._

_ Yeah, idiot leech. Who knows though? Before Ve taught us how to pick out scents more carefully, it would have worked._

_ I don't think so Jake. This is some garbled shit. I don't think he has a clue. Wait, the mess leads this way. Over here!_

_ Coming._

I turned left and started following the brown wolf in front of me. It headed toward the beach, on the far coast, too far for us to smell at last week's barbecue.

_Shit, the red head taught him her trick._

_ Can't win 'em all Jake._

_ Well, at least we know how they got in. We'll tell Sam to see the patrol's this way._

_ Yeah. Should we head back?_

_ Let's go a little further to make sure._

_ Gotcha._

I ran off to the side so we could cover more ground. The newborn had definitely come this way, but there was nothing else but rocks and trees.

_Jake, get your ass over here._

_ What? I'm fine here. _I saw a rock through our connected and got a wrong feeling from it. _Coming. Where are you?_

_ Around the other side of the bay._

I raced through the field I was searching in and jumped off a log onto the beach, heading up the coast before going back inland to find Jared. Whatever was up with that rock wasn't good.

When I got there, Jared came up beside me.

_Dude, you smell that?_

I sniffed around the rock. The smell was… well it wasn't horrid, it was just weird and it sent a chill down my spine because I couldn't describe what it was. There were no words for it, it was just there and it was horribly out of place. I sniffed again, and the weirder think was that it didn't seem to go anywhere.

_What the fuck is that?_

Jared whimpered. _I don't know, but I don't like it at all. Let's get outta here._

I sniffed it again and agreed. _I don't want to be around this any longer than you do, let's go._

We took off back for La Push. When we got there we phased back and went straight for the community centre. Our timing was good, because Sam was just coming to pick them up.

"Hey Jake, Jared, how'd it go."

"We found how the newborn got in, but there's something you gotta see."

Sam looked at me seriously, and then told his father that he'd have to drive them there.

"It's fine son, they'll still be awhile. Go do what you have to." I nodded at Joshua and headed for the woods. Taking my pants off, I tied them back around my ankle and phased.

_Sam?_

_ I'm here._

_ Where'd Jared go?_

_ I sent him back to tell Ve about whatever it was. She's already at Dad's house._

_ Right, it's this way._

We headed past the utter mess the newborn tried to confused us with and back up the coast of the bay again. I led Sam to the rock.

_What the fuck is that?_

_ I don't know Sam, but it's fucking weird._

_ I don't… I mean I can't even begin to…._

_ I know, me either. What are we going to do?_

Sam circled the rock. _Nothing for now. We have to head back or we're going to miss the meeting. Come on._

_ Sure sure._

We headed back to town as fast as we could.

"We'll have to get Ve to check it out. I have no idea what that is."

I nodded in agreement, pulling my pants on. "She would have to be leaving to."

"It might be for the best. If she doesn't know, she can ask the council."

"Yeah I guess."

We walked back towards the house and headed out back. As I turned the corner, I saw Bella heading towards me and any worries of strange smells left me. "Bella!" I ran over and picked her up, holding her to me. She smelled delicious, like Christmas.

"Jake… Jake… air!"

I put her down, still smiling. I looked her up and down. She was in this flowy thing that looked excellent on her. Purple might have to be my new favourite colour. "Sorry, I get carried away. Wow Bell, you look great."

"I do?" Her face went an unbearably cute shade of red.

"Yeah, where'd you get the dress from?"

"Oh just this place in Port Angeles. Um… Alice and Rosalie helped me pick it out."

Really? I couldn't smell them on her at all. "The vampires? Really?"

"Yeah, why?"

"It's nothing. I just would have thought they wouldn't dress you so nice to come see me."

"Well it was mostly Rosalie."

It didn't matter, so long as she was here. "Nevermind, I'm just glad you're here. Come on."

We headed back into the back yard and she turned to me. "So how did it go?"

I tried not to tense. I didn't want to worry Bella with that strange rock. "The patrol? Oh, boring as hell."

"I'm sorry you have to go out every day because of me."

"Don't worry about it Bella, it's no problem."

"No, it is, you're tired all the time."

"You're worth it." I smiled at her and she went red again. I was beginning to enjoy this.

We greeted Sam again and discussed Colin and Brady before we settled down to listen to my Dad. He was always great with the stories. They mystified me as a kid, but when I got older, they seemed a little lame. Of course, that was before I found out they were all real. Quil Sr. went next, in his haunting quiet voice and I watched Bella's face as she looked on. I barely paid attention again until Ve got up and led us in a battle cry. There was something about her that just made her feel comfortable. She told us about her eyes when she got us ready for the meeting with the leeches, but somehow, I didn't think that's what it was. It was just a funny feeling. I heard Jared whisper to Sam that Ve didn't know what the rock was either and she'd have to check it out on her way out, so I got out of there before the discussion got more serious. I wanted to spend as much time with Bella as possible.

"Come on, let's go for a walk." I took her hand and we headed towards the beach. She looked beautiful in the little light that was left.

"So, did you have fun?" I asked her as she stared at the sky. "I mean, I'm sorry I wasn't there, we had issues."

She looked instantly worried. "Issues, I thought you said patrol was boring."

Damn me and my big mouth. No use lying now. "It was, we mostly just followed the newborn's scent to see where he got in, but then we found something."

"Something?"

"Another scent. It wasn't vampire, but it wasn't human. We didn't even know what it was."

"What about Ve?"

"I don't think our description was all that good," I said, remembering Jared's words to Sam.

We walked in silence and I watched her nibble on her lip out of the corner of my eye. Stop it Jake, just because everything she does with her mouth ends up being sexy is no reason for you to stare.

"You weren't too angry about Wednesday, were you?" she asked after awhile.

Wednesday. The meeting and her beautiful lips pressed against Edward. I was careful to clench my other hand. "Well I didn't like what I saw, but I can't really be angry at you. I'm just angry at him."

"Why?"

I scoffed. "Do I need a reason? He's a monster douchebag who's tormented you for a year." She covered a laugh with her hand. "See, even you agree."

She shook her head. "Monster douchebag…. Where do you come up with this stuff?"

"What can I say, I'm a damned wordsmith."

"And a cocky asshole to boot."

"Hey!"

We headed to the log, our log and she sat beside me. I played with her hand in mine as she ran her other hand through the sand on the log. She leaned against me and blinked her eyes slowly and I watched in awe at how beautiful she could be without realising it. We stayed like that for a while until I mused, "whatcha thinking about?"

"Nothing." She said the word slowly as she blinked her eyes again.

"You sound tired."

"I'm not really. I guess I am thinking of something."

"What's that?" I brushed a strand of hair off her cheek.

"Ve told us about her dad and her husband today. I was just wondering how people who lived so long ago can be just like people today."

Ve's stories. I hope I would get to hear some of them soon. "Nothing changes I guess."

She shook her head against me. "Everything changes."

"Then some things always stay the same."

"I guess. What are you thinking about?"

I smirked into her hair. "The last time we were on his bench."

She looked up at me, incredulously. "Perv."

I saw something jolt through the sky. "Look, a shooting star."

"Don't change the subject, perv."

"I'm serious." I turned her so she could see.

"Well look at that."

"I guess we have to make a wish."

"I guess so."

Looking down at her I remembered last week, and her lips and her neck and how perfect it would be if she just leaned up and kissed me. "So what did you wish for?"

"Won't it not come true if you say it?"

I laughed. "Nah, I think that's just birthday candles."

"I wished that you guys wouldn't get hurt."

Figures she would wish for something serious. "Crap, that one's so much better than mine."

"Why, what did you wish for?"

"For you to start kissing me again."

"Edward may be a monster douchebag but you're a monster perv."

I spluttered as a handful of sand went into my eyes. "I can't help it, it's in my nature. And, good God woman, my eyes! It's always my goddamned eyes."

"Don't be a baby."

I tried to get it out, to no avail. "Crap, it's like you got it all in there."

"Here, let me see." I felt her lean over my lap. Dammit, when she finally gets close to me, I can't even see her. "Stop that, you'll just make it worse. Open. Now close." She carefully dabbed at my right eye. "Ok, I guess it was a pretty good shot. Other one…. Ok, now is that better?"

I blinked a few times. "I think so." Opening my eyes, I could finally see again and looked up at her.

Our eyes locked.

I felt something move through me as my centre of gravity and lurched forward and came to rest on her. My eyes widened. I had seen her so many times before, but never like this. She was angelic, and at the same time something to be desired. My throat went dry, my head went numb and my hands shook as I took her in. Finally, I couldn't reside any longer and pulled her to me, kissing her with my all, like we had never kissed before and would never kiss again. I know it sounds corny, but it was like my entire life had been a desert and I was finally having a drink. It was then that I realised what was happening and I felt my heart leap.

* * *

Bella POV

His eyes focused on mine and bored into me and I felt static electricity run through me. A moment passed and then his lips crashed on me and I was swept up by him. I felt his hands wind their way behind my neck and I kissed him back, leaning into his chest. My hands tentatively found their way to his shoulders as he kissed me like a man possessed. Soon I was gasping and forcibly pushed him from me.

"Jake, what are you doing?"

"Bella," He sighed with a smile and wrapped his fingers through my hair.

"Jake?" I felt his hands massage my scalp.

He leaned in and kissed his way up my neck. "Bella, Bella, Bella," he sighed the whole way, laughing slightly, before nuzzling me and pulling me as close as possible.

The heat was delicious. I pressed closer to him and gasped as he tickled my collar bone with his tongue.

"Oh Bella, this is so wonderful."

I giggled. "It's just kissing."

He kissed me again lightly, smiling against my lips. "Don't you see it's so much more than that?"

I giggled again but failed to see what he meant. "How?"

He looked up at me again. "You're perfect," he murmured.

Then I saw it, in his eyes.

_Devotion._

Just like Sam had in his eyes when he saw Emily or when Jared saw Kim.

Like he was staring at his imprint.

His imprint? Oh. My. _God._

My heart sunk to the bottom of my stomach and proceeded to thud a rhythm there. My mind raced a thousand miles a minute. He imprinted? Just now? It was all too much to handle, so I did the only thing I could think of.

I slapped it. "Stop that!" I ordered as my hand came down on his face. "Ow!" I shook my hand as it felt like I was slapping concrete.

He kissed the bottom of my chin. "I can't help it."

"Stop it anyway!" I slapped him again, immediately regretting it. "Ow, fuck."

He grasped my hand and kissed each one of my finger tips. "If I punched myself in the face, would you stop hurting yourself?"

"No!" He quirked an eyebrow at me and I realised what I just said. "I mean, don't punch yourself."

He laughed and let my hand go. "Then stop hitting me."

"Then stop looking at me that way!"

"What way?"

"Like you love me!"

"I do love you."

I scrunched up my nose and rubbed a hand over my face. "Stop it!"

He turned serious. "Why would you want me to stop, is… did I… is there something wrong?"

"No…" I put a hand on his shoulder to stop his sudden panicking. Not knowing what else to do I laid my head on his chest, letting his steady heart beat. "It's just that… I thought we agreed to take things slow…."

"We did," he said rubbing my back.

"This isn't slow!" I felt tears spill down my cheeks.

He grasped me by my shoulders and pulled me up to face him. "Don't cry, Bella honey," he said, kissing away my tears. "Don't worry, we don't have to do anything. I can be anything you want. Your best friend, your guardian, anything."

I kissed him back tentatively. "I'm not saying I don't want this, it's just that it's a little much to come at once." I resumed leaning against him. "It's funny, I did once ask why can't this just be easy."

He rubbed my back and sighed "And now you have second thoughts."

I shook my head. "No, I just wish my life would slow down. That we could go hang out in your garage all day and not worry about graduation or vampires or patrols or newborns."

He gripped me possessively. "I won't let _anything_ hurt you."

"I know, I know. Just don't let my freak outs scare you, it's like I said, I'm pretty dumb sometimes."

He laughed. "You're not dumb."

"I just hurt my hand on your face. Twice."

"Ok, so you have little common sense. Who needs that?"

"Klutzes."

"I'll be your common sense."

"That's a rough job. I hope you get benefits."

He laughed again. "See we can be relaxed."

I nodded. We stayed that way, me curled on his lap for what must have been an hour. I listened to him breathe and to his heart beat and allowed myself to get lost in the sound.

Eventually he lifted me off his chest. "I should get you home. It's getting late."

"Alright." I didn't think it was all that late, but tonight's events had completely drained me. We headed back to the house, hand in hand. When we got there, he left me to go talk to Sam, promising to be right back.

"Have a good time."

I looked behind me to see Ve, smiling at me with a glint in her eyes.

_"It means follow your wolf little sister"_

_ "But I don't have one."_

_ "I wouldn't be so sure."_

I gasped. "You knew!"

Ve nodded.

"Why didn't you warn me?!"

"Because then it might not have happened."

My eyebrows shot up. "You made it happen?"

She shook her head. "No, I felt the pull between your souls. It's never a definite thing, it might not have happened. Or it might have anyway. It is not my place to interfere with the course of nature in this manner. Are you disappointed?"

I shook my head. "Good thing, bad time."

"Ah, I can empathise immensely."

I looked over to see Sam giving Jake a pat on the back. "I guess I better go."

"I guess you better. Head tall, little sister. No reason in the world not to be proud."

I considered her words, and then smiled as I walked towards Jake. "Let's go," I said, slipping my hand in his.

"You want me to drive?"

"Sure." I handed him my keys. On the way home I drifted in and out of sleep on his shoulder.

* * *

I trudged my way up the stairs and headed immediately for the shower. I took off my make up and washed out my hair, getting ready for bed as fast as I could. I slipped on some house pants and a t-shirt and paced around my room a bit, after carefully putting my dress in the closet to be cleaned later. My eyes fell on the tags from the dress and shoes on my desk. I know I was supposed to wait for Rosalie to tell me, but after tonight, I didn't need anymore surprises.

Carefully, I picked up the tag for the dress and peeled the tape off. Opening up it up and reading the contents, my wish for no more surprises was ignored.

_ Purple Lilac: First emotion of love._

_ Lavender Rose: Love at first sight._

I found myself laughing at Rosalie's apt choices. I always knew fate had it in for me. I just never knew how much.

I was startled out of my bemusement when I heard a thump near my bedroom window. I looked up to see Jacob standing there, shirtless, barefoot, in a pair of sweat pants.

"Um," he said, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to see you."

"No it's alright. But you just saw me."

"I, uh, wanted to see you again." He closed the gap between us and twirled an errant strand of wet hair off my face.

I looked up at him and saw the devotion – and desire – in his eyes. I looked down and began fiddling with the drawstring on my pants. In a moment of insane bravery I pulled on one string, letting the knot come open. I looked back up at him.

He gulped and put his large hand over my small one, his fingers burning my abdomen.

"I didn't come for that," he said exhaling. "God, woman, you'll be the death of me yet." He picked me up and carried me to the bed, lying me down and crawling in beside me. "Just… let me stay. I need to be beside you."

I nodded and tucked myself into him, ignoring the bulge in his pants. He gasped as I wrapped myself around him and placed a kiss on the top of my head. I gave a hesitant peck to his chest as my eyes fluttered close and my breath slowed to match his.

The only dream I had that night was of us laying there, the heavens revolving around us.

A/N: I know, I know, this is not the lemonade you are looking for. But I think it's pretty good for a double feature.

For music we have much random trance and techno which again has little to do with the story. Well, Boten Anna by Basshunter doesn't and Remotion by kr1z is probably in the same group.

This chapter was a lot of fun to write and I hope you guys like it! Drop me a review, I love reading them.


	8. What It All Comes Down To

A/N: Yay, I hit 100 reviews. Woot! To vinh: The flowers do mean that, the colours are just of the flowers. I was surfing around Wikipedia trying to figure out what to do with the part I had labelled "Bella goes to quirky boutique" when I remembered the language of flowers from the Victorian period.

About Boten Anna, my boyfriend plays DotA, and then he found a song about DotA, also by Basshunter, which is why he found Boten Anna, which is why I like it. For music in general, I've been thinking of compiling a list of what I generally listen to when thinking about naked werewolves and the like instead of just putting randomness at the end. Then you too can be where I'm at when I'm trying to not get distracted by school, flash games, and Jacob-chest to actually write, lol. You can be sure it will include sexy bass.

Fucking flash games, why do I play you for hours and then start writing this three days later than planned? Time stealing bastards.

Speaking of time stealing bastards, I keep getting distracted by events that are going to happen so far into the future in this story. This is going to turn into a 2- 3 story series depending on where I decide to end this story. And I keep playing with concepts that I didn't in the book, and instead of throwing them out, doing something new with them. And yes, that would include why Bella got a killer sun burn in her sleep. *winks* So blame the lack of updates on my over active mind. But, this story is chockfull of foreshadowing, so pay attention guys!

Damn, trying to write while crying sucks. Damn you blueandblack and your amazing cry-fest of a story.

Anyways,

Bella POV.

I woke up sweltering, but in a good sort of sauna like way. A heat you could just melt into. Every once in a while a cool breeze would float across my skin from the open window. I sighed as I opened my eyes to an expanse of bronze flesh. I was startled for a moment until I remembered that the expanse belonged to Jacob.

Jacob Black. My Jacob. Now he was really mine and I suppose that I was his. It still bewildered me that he had imprinted. I thought that only happened the first time you saw someone. So why now of all times? Although it confused me, I couldn't deny it. I felt something course through me when he looked at me yesterday, like static shock only… better.

I looked up to see Jake's eyes still closed. Dark lashes fallen on copper cheeks. I smiled, and pulled my quilted comforter back over us. He moved closer and said something in his sleep. I placed a kiss on his chin and settled back in to join him in sleep.

Then I remembered where we were.

My eyes shot open and I bolted up. My quilt was lying over us which meant that we were in my room. In my house. And somewhere in this house, there was Charlie. And if Charlie knew Jake was up here… well, somewhere in the back of my mind I heard the cocking of a shotgun followed by a blast.

"Jake!" I hissed, slapping his face none too soft, but not as hard as last night. I didn't want to re-bruise my hand but I didn't have time to put up with his whole 'waking the dead' thing. "Jake, you _need_ to wake up."

Once again I was pulled into his vice grip, but thankfully his eyes opened. "Not the best way to wake up in the world, Bella," he said, giving me a peck on the top of my head.

"Jake, you are in my bed!" I hissed again.

He nodded against me. "I know. It's pretty great."

"Jacob, my _father_ is home!"

"I know. He's downstairs. I've been only half sleeping since he got up."

I pushed at his chest before settling in. That was right, werewolf hearing. "You ass, I was having a small heart attack."

He laughed softly. "You worry too much. Relax, it's only nine thirty, he's probably still groggy, it being Sunday and all."

"Oh." He laughed at my response and snuggled me closer. I couldn't fall back asleep after that, but I laid there in his arms. Feeling honestly at peace for the first time in a week or more. I listened to his heart beat and time passed without me really feeling it. I vaguely heard a phone ringing from somewhere and Jake sat up.

"He's coming."

"What?"

I only had time to turn around to face the door before it opened. "Bella, it's for you."

My stomach tightened and my throat went dry. "Dad! Look, I can explain!"

Charlie gave me a weird look, still holding out the portable receiver from downstairs. "Explain what?"

"What?! I mean why–" I turned around as I spoke and, looking at the other side of the bed, I saw that Jake was… gone? The covers weren't even thrown back. Looking around the room, he was nowhere to be seen. Gathering my wits about me, I tried to finish my sentence. "why… I've slept in so late. Yeah, sorry Dad." I hoped my horrible excuse would make it through.

Charlie gave me another screwed up face. "Bella, it's Sunday, I didn't really expect you to be up at the crack of dawn. Eleven o'clock isn't that late. Anyways, your mom is on the phone. You haven't talked to her in over a week, she's worried."

Oh crap. I knew I had forgotten something. "Give it here dad."

"Ok Bella. I'm going over to Billy's to watch the game, so I'll see you later."

"Have fun." He turned and walked out the door, and I could hear him leave the house downstairs moments later.

I put the phone to my ear. "Mom?"

"Bella, where have you been? I haven't heard from you in forever!"

I winced. "It was only a week Mom."

"Well it seemed like forever. So what's been going on? Something big had to happen for you to ignore your poor mother for so long." I rolled my eyes at her hyperbole. "So spill, what's happened? How's Edward?"

Dammit. One more person I would have to discuss this with. "You're right Mom, a lot did happen."

"Oh God, with Edward? Get comfortable, you're telling me everything."

I sighed and sat down. "Well things weren't really working out."

"What do you mean? You adored each other last I saw you."

"We adored each other too much. It wasn't… you know, real?"

"Oh _that_ I can understand Bella, believe you me, but why didn't call me the moment it happened? You must have been devastated. I would have wanted to talk to you."

"Mom, a lot of other stuff happened too. I mean, a lot was leading up to- AAAARGHHHH!!" I screamed, thankfully not high pitch, as my closet door slowly swung open. Jacob's apologetic smirk appeared from behind the door.

I could hear my mother's worried voice from the dropped receiver on my bed. "Bella? Bella what's wrong?!"

I picked up the phone again. "It's nothing Mom, it's just a really big spider." Looking, I leaned over, grabbed one of my Keds and piked it at Jacob. "There, I got it with my shoe." Rather than beaning him in the head as I had hoped, he deftly caught it and patronisingly wagged a finger at me and then brought it to his lips in a shushing action.

I glowered at him as I returned to my conversation. "We, well, I realised that I wanted different things. Plus Edward wasn't the most wonderful person in the world. He was getting a little pushy."

"Oh?"

"He wouldn't let me see my best friend."

"So that's why you weren't talking about Jake. That sucks Bella, I'm glad you got out of it. So how is Jake?"

"Um, he's… great." I as I articulated the words he had silently padded across the room to sit beside me, put an arm around me, and laid a kiss on my shoulder, smirking up at me as his lips left my skin. Foul play Jacob Black, foul play at it's worse.

_Yeah, I can be a dog sometimes, can't I?_

Get out and stop smirking Jacob-conscience. It's distracting enough with one of you here.

"He's 'greeat' eh? It sounds like things are a little more involved than you're saying."

I could feel myself blushing. There was no getting out of talking with my mom, I had waited to long, and I was fairly sure that any attempts to get Jake to go away with non-verbal communication would fail on account of him conveniently not understanding. I was going to have to say all of this in front of Jake, and the prospect was utterly embarrassing. "More than you know," I finally answered, honestly.

"Should I make popcorn?"

I screwed up my face. "No Mom." I could feel Jake shaking with silent laughter beside me, as if he heard the comment.

_Werewolf hearing, remember?_

You're both bastards, just so you know. I ignored the smirking as Renee answered. "Oh, this should be good."

"Well, you know I got really close to Jake a couple months ago when… when I was having trouble."

"Oh, sweetie, he was all you could talk about. I was surprised when Edward suddenly made a reappearance in your life."

"You weren't the only one. Jake was…" I eyed him carefully, and he busied himself 'innocently' rubbing a circle on my shoulder with his thumb. "Jake didn't really take it well. But he was mostly just concerned for me. He didn't want me to get hurt by the same person again."

"And now?"

"Now… now things are… much better."

"Bella, stop avoiding the question. It's apparent that the last one to find out that you like Jake is you."

"I always liked Jake!" I said in protest.

"I mean _like_-like."

I crinkled my nose. "Mom, that's so juvenile."

She laughed. "But it's accurate! Come on Bella, juicy details! Was there a fight?"

"Not really," I said, picturing a speeding yellow Porsche, Edward's twisted jaw, and Emmett's body ragdolling through the air again. It wasn't _really_ a lie, she meant between Edward and Jake, and they only had a small, semi-naked confrontation. I felt myself blush again.

"Did things get tense at all?"

"Yeah, they got pretty tense, but Edward got over it in the end."

"When was that?"

"Wednesday." I shivered as Jake snaked his arm up my shirt to rub my back. I silently mouthed _Stop that, you ass!_ to him, and he shrugged as if he couldn't read my lips. Figures. After a moment, however, he obeyed my request and returned his arm to its place around my shoulder.

"Well, then why didn't you call me?"

"I was hanging out in La Push a lot."

"So did you kiss him?"

"MOM!" Jake began to shake with laughter again.

"Come on Bella, something had to happen for you to completely forget your mother for a week. You aren't that thoughtless."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, I kissed him, are you happy?"

"And what was it like?"

"Which time?" I heard my mother break out into her 'spastic gossip laughter' on the other end of the phone and watched with some amusement as Jake appeared to be suffocating from the lack of air all that silent laughing had caused. Served him right, even if he was probably fine with his werewolf countenance.

"Let's start with the first time."

I smiled, remembering. "It was… amazing." I blushed, remembered that Jacob was still there.

"How did it compare to Edward."

"Mom!"

"Ok, ok, bad question."

"You can't even compare them, it's like night and day." Very literally night and day, but I couldn't tell her that.

"Well, how about the second time?"

I could feel my face growing redder by the second. "Mom, do we have to talk about this in extended detail?"

She sighed. "Fine. Is it safe to say you're finally dating him?"

"Finally," I scoffed. "I don't know if I'd add the finally, but yes, you could say I'm dating him" Or that I'm metaphysically bonded to him for the rest of my days, but I couldn't tell her that either.

"Ah, to be a teenager again! A different boyfriend every week."

"Mom! It's not like that! You just said he was all I could talk about."

"I know Bella, I was more referring to myself."

I kicked Jake as he snickered and mouthed _Hey, that's my mom you're laughing at!_ to him. "Well I hope you aren't missing your vicarious youth too much. Phil would be heartbroken."

"Oh no," she said, laughing. "Not that much. So what else? Do we need to go into baseball metaphors yet?"

"MOM!"

"What, I know the doctor put you on the Pill to help your mood last Christmas, so at least you're being safe."

My face paled and my eyes went wide as I stared at Jake having a private fit before me. Mom, you are _ruining_ my goddamned _life!_ "Mom," I croaked weakly into the phone. "Jake just got here, I have to go. We're having lunch."

She laughed suggestively through the phone. "Ok dear, have fun. Don't forget to call me more often though! And don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

I squawked a goodbye and pressed the 'End' button. My room erupted with Jacob's baritone laughter, as he got up, slapping his knee.

"That was _not_ funny." I said, pouting at him.

"Yes, it was."

"That was a private conversation!"

"And it was funny as hell."

"Do not judge my mother."

He raised his hands in a sign of innocence. "I'm not making fun of her. Hell, she's a hoot and a half. I like her already, when do I get to meet her?"

_"Never,_ if you ever mortify me like that again. And who the hell says hoot anymore, you old man."

"Well, I _am_ forty."

"Start acting like it."

He gave me an 'ultra-serious' look and managed to hold it for a second or two before we both burst out laughing. "See what I mean?"

"Ok, it's kind of funny."

He walked over to me putting his arms around my waist. "You know, I would have left if you asked."

I pushed at his chest, more playful than serious. "No you wouldn't, you big liar."

He shook his head laughing. "No, I probably wouldn't have missed that for the world. Kiss me."

"No, you're an asshole."

"Kiss me anyways."

I shook my head no still smiling as he lowered his head. I stuck my tongue out at him and he growled at me just before our lips met. I wrapped my arms around his neck, my head floating off somewhere into space. I don't know if this was just Jacob and the fact that I woke up in his arms, or the imprint talking, but I felt so at ease. I was taking my nibbling on every inch of his bottom lip when he pulled away and said, "So should I know any other safety precautions you're taking? I like to be on top of things." His eyebrows wiggled at the last remark.

I pushed him again. "Still a monster perv! Why do I put up with you?" I tried to escape, but found myself being lifted as I turned around, and tickled. "Jake! Stop it!" Foul play indeed Jacob Black. I continued to push at him as he savaged the sensitive covering my ribs and soon found myself rolling around on the floor, trying helplessly to get away from him as I laughed.

As annoying as Jake could be, this was great, and I knew it wasn't the imprint talking. I couldn't relax around Edward. Everything was serious and intense and all consuming. Who knows what kind of dangers a tickle fight on the floor possessed but he never would have went for it. Jake just goes with the flow, as silly or stupid his next action might be.

Somehow during our tickle fight he found himself on top of me, and as our eyes met, I stopped rolling around and pulled him down to me. Our lips crashed together and our play fight was forgotten as his thumbs began stroking circles on either side of my waist.

Somewhere in the back of my head I heard myself telling Jake that things were going too fast last night and I ignored it thoroughly as my hands went on to explore his chest. He hissed into my mouth as they made contact and his hands made their way up my sides again, trying to finish the task they had started last weekend. I felt myself laugh into his mouth as his fingers brushed their way up my sides, still tormented from his earlier ministrations. Slowly his thumbs once again came to the undersides of my breasts. I pulled away from his lips to look into his eyes, darkened from his usual chocolate brown to burnt wood from lust. I bit my lip as he grasped the t-shirt and, in one move, lifted me up enough to pull the shirt over my head. I was now as clothed as he was, with a possible exception made for underwear.

His gaze stayed on my eyes and I could feel myself going even redder, if that was possible after laughing as hard as I was. He balled up the shirt and put it behind my head and then, finally, his gaze left my eyes and travelled down my body to stop at my chest.

He sucked in a breath as his thumb swept up over the bottom my breast and circled around my right nipple and I found myself gasping with him. "God Bella, you're beautiful." He leaned down, kissing me once again. I held him to me, forcing him to linger so I could escape his seductive, yet embarrassingly bold gaze for a little longer. As we broke apart his huge grin split across his face as he looked at my bared form again. "You know, they're bigger than they seem with clothes on." I had recently gone up a cup size and my hips had become a little more pronounced, as shocking as it was to finally fill out in my eighteenth year, but he didn't need to know that right now. My private wishes to be more feminine and less tomboyish to compliment his masculinity (so private that I was only now admitting them to myself!) weren't good make-out conversation fodder, if there was such a thing anyway.

I returned my thoughts to his face, watching his kid-in-a-candy-store expression and feeling more than a little proud that I was the one putting it there, and kissed him again, less gently this time. He shifted so he could be fully over me and regain the use of his other hand. Both hands cupped my breasts this time and he kissed his way down my cheek. He stopped a moment, teasing the corner of my mouth with his teeth before continuing his way down over my chin and down my neck. Never had I ever received a more flattering glance at me than when he looked up at me as his lips connected with the top of my breast. I found myself unable to look away as he carefully moved his hand away and looked up at me for permission. I nodded and his mouth came down on me. I felt his tongue swirl around my nipple and my eyes rolled back into my head. It was better than any fantasy I had of him – or anyone – doing that before. His knee parted my legs and I stared at some far away spot on the ceiling as he began rubbing his knee against me. I could feel his hardness pressing against my thigh as I clutched at his head and cried out. Every other thought left my head. No vampires, no werewolves, just Jacob and his lips and his hands and his knee doing things to me I've only dreamed of, and never as vividly as this. His fingers stopped plucking my other nipple to a peak and his mouth replaced them. I wound my hands through his hair and his hands rubbed their way back down my sides to sit at my waistband. It felt like he was going to push it down and I mumbled his name, arching my back so that more of him was touching me.

_Yes,_ I thought as one of his hands came around to grasp at my backside. _Yes,_ I thought as his thumb hooked my pants. _Yes,_ I thought as he dragged his mouth away from one breast to settle on the other one again. My head swam and all I could think about was how loud his heart was and how it seemed to beat in time with mind. I gripped at his shoulder blades and gasped his name again, waiting for him to pull down my pants.

Instead I felt my nipple vibrate between his teeth as he let loose a low vicious growl. "What's wrong?" I asked, suddenly shocked out of my previous bliss.

"I don't want to stop," he said between clenched teeth as he raised his head.

I trembled at the prospect, but remembering my insane bravery from last night, I caught my breath and said, "Then don't."

His face jerked up towards me as the sneer that was developing on it disappeared. He exhaled and brushed his hair out of his eyes. I could see him trembling as well and fear crept up my spine. He thought he was going to phase, that had to be it.

He looked into my eyes and I must have looked terrified because his face softened and he pulled me close to him. "No Bella. Don't worry, I would never, _ever_ hurt you. Ever. I promise. It's just…" He exhaled again and rubbed a hand down his face. "There's a fucking leech in your goddamned living room!"

"Jake, I… wait… _what?"_

"There's a goddamned Cullen downstairs!"

"What?... _WHY?"_

"How the hell am I supposed to know?"

I reached for my top and pulled it on, dwelling only a moment on how my nipples were visibly peaked through the fabric. "I'm going to _kill_ him." I got up and headed for the door.

I heard Jake chuckle behind me. "Not that I mind you killing him all that much, but he's not the one downstairs."

I stopped in my tracks. "Well then who- _Alice." _I narrowed my eyes. "Only she could be so insidious to do such a thing!" I reached for the handle.

Jake laughed again. "The tiny one is pretty annoying, but you're wrong again?"

I turned around, exasperated. "Who the hell is in my living room then?"

He sniffed the air. "Smells like the blonde one."

"You can tell them apart now?"

"Something Ve taught us to do when we trained with them."

"That still doesn't explain why the hell Rosalie is down there."

"It's your house," he said shrugging.

My eyes scanned around the room as I thought of an answer. Soon they fell on the tags to my new dress on my desk. I slapped a hand to my forehead. "Son of a… I was supposed to see her today."

Jake crossed the space between us and patted my head. "Way to be forgetful Bells."

I grabbed his arm. "Don't you dare be patronising at a time like this!"

He laughed again and headed for the door. "Well get dressed and go down there. It's rude to keep guests waiting."

I quirked an eyebrow at him. "And just what are you going to be doing?"

He smirked at me through his once again fallen hair. "I'm going to be making use of your shower."

"Doing what exactly?"

He yawned and rocked back and forth from the balls of his feet. "You mean besides the obvious? I'm going to be thinking of your boobs and pretending Blondie's not down there." I noticed something bobbing in his pants as his stretched.

My mouth fell open. "Jacob!"

He laughed. "The alternative is to keep your guest waiting for _much_ longer." He put a finger to his lips in mock thought. "Or I could make use of your bed and some tissue."

I pointed at the door. "Shower. And damn your utter lack of modesty."

"Though so," he said laughing as he headed out the door. I heard him call "What's up Blondie?" as he passed by the stairs and heard a huff come up from downstairs.

* * *

I dressed in a hurry. Coming down the stairs, there was Rosalie sitting on a chair in the living room, shaking the one leg that was crossed over the other one, reading the newspaper. I walked towards her, not quite knowing what to say.

"Morning Bella. Or should I say, afternoon." I cringed and bit my thumb. "Down so soon? Does the mutt have a problem with _maintaining?"_ She looked up from the paper and smiled at me.

"Seriously Rose? Do you seriously want to talk about that?"

She shook her head and folded up the paper, laughing. "I knew you were copulating with the mutt."

"I was not!"

"You were just now."

"I was not!"

"You were about to."

"I –" She gave me a suggestive look. "Ok, you might have me on that one."

She laughed again and got up to face me. "Do you know what dog boy is doing up stairs?"

I grasped my head in my hands. "I just want you to know, I'm wishing that you would burst into flames."

"Oh, Bella I was just teasing, I don't mean anything by it!" I looked up her and she smiled until she twitched a little and rubbed her shoulder. "Did it just get a little warmer in here?"

"No, that's karma helping you burst into flames for me. And it serves you right!"

Rosalie laughed at me. "I guess so. Then again, you did look at the tags. Alice already saw before your future disappeared again. She thought it was just those overgrown wolves patrolling your house, but I knew better. Wait till I tell her I was right!"

I choked. "You can't just go around _telling_ people very _private_ things you happen to hear because you can't knock!"

She sighed. "Why did you open the tags anyway? It was supposed to be a surprise."

"Because I didn't need anymore surprises after the night I had. Which I did, thanks you and your love at first sight dress!"

"I thought it was sweet," she said with a grin.

"It was," I said, sitting down. "But it wasn't just sweet, it was apt."

"What happened?" She asked, sitting next to me. "I can't read minds you know."

I sighed. "I… we… Did they explain anything about werewolves to you?"

"Bella, we were training for a fight, not mating season."

"I thought not."

"Well, what's so special about how werewolves do it?"

I chuckled. "It's not about how they do it, it's about how they find people to do it with I guess. You know mates. Or just friends, I'm not really clear on it."

Rosalie scoffed. "What, did they play 'Pin the Tail on the Pretty Young Girl,' and Jake got you?

"No, he imprinted on me."

"Bella, I'm not the best authority on biology, but I'm pretty sure that's how baby mammals remember who their mother is."

"Yeah, it's that, but when werewolves do it, it's like soul mates."

"Soul mates?"

"I just said I didn't really know everything about it. Just that the werewolf will be devoted to that person all their life."

"Well, Edward did say something about that boy being your best friend."

"All the werewolves I've ever heard of, which are more than you, because Ve tells stories, marry their imprint."

"…Oh."

"Yeah, big 'oh.' Ve's imprint used to be her rival and she still married him. Well, there was this whole thing how they really liked each other and it was his mother, but you know what I mean."

"I… I guess I do. So are you engaged to dog boy now?"

I rolled my eyes. "Can you not call him that?"

"Only if you answer the question."

"I don't know, it doesn't really matter anyways."

Rose gave me a funny look. "Bella, as far as I knew you were engaged to Edward a week or so ago and were saving it for marriage, and just now you were about to have sex with that… person."

"That was Edward's idea, not mine. And it doesn't matter because if you already have supernatural reassurance that you're going to be together for the rest of your lives, a piece of paper stating the fact doesn't really mean anything, does it?"

Rose fiddled with her hands in her lap. "I guess not. Bella, don't think I'm judging you or anything. Marriage… marriage as an institution really isn't important to me either. Not after… how I died. It's a bunch words and sentiments and… lies." She stared off into space with a bitter look on her face.

"But you get married all the time?"

"I like a good party, especially when it's all about me. Plus, I look amazing in white." I had to laugh at that, even if it was ridiculous. "But what does that have to do with the dress we got you?"

"Imprinting is supposed to happen the first time you see the person. Or at least, that's how we thought it did. Then again, Ve imprinted on someone she had known her whole life, so I guess Jake doesn't know that much about it either."

"Hmm. That is apt."

"Yeah, I know. The irony was hilarious until Jake got there."

"Busy after that?" she asked with a smile.

"What?"

"Well you did sleep with him, didn't you?"

"I don't see what that has to do with anything," I said turning to see the smile creeping up Rose's face. "Rosalie, we just slept! That's it!"

"Sure you did."

I rolled my eyes and tried to sink into the couch. "You can be more annoying than Alice sometimes."

"Whatever. So, that muscle as hard as it looks?"

I sighed. "He's like a bronze god."

Rose's eyebrows shot up. "Well that was surprisingly easy to get out of you."

"You're utterly too exhausting to fight. I might just answer anything you ask me."

"So how much of a bitch did you used to think I was?"

I shot her a look. "You're devious."

"I'm just getting started. Begin the description of his backside and other naughty regions." She waved a hand, encouraging me.

I scoffed at her. "You're worse than my mother."

"You've met Emmett."

"You don't have to think with his brain."

"It's more fun this way. He may be a wolf, but I'm the only one you know likely to enjoy such descriptions, and you know you're dying to tell someone."

"Why am I suddenly discovering half the people I know are secretly pervs?"

"It's because you aren't very attentive. Well come on, he won't be in the shower forever."

I looked at her, weighed my options, and plunged face first into an invigorating discussion on taut gluteus muscles. Rosalie turned out to be about ten times more fun than I ever thought her to be, and I knew that she'd be almost as good a friend as Alice is.

"So are you going to be able to hang out with me and Alice today, or are you too busy throwing Dog Boy a bone?"

"Rosalie!"

"Sorry, Jacob a bone."

"Like that's any better!"

"Just answer the question."

"I might. I have to study, I have finals tomorrow."

"Oh that's right, studying. I keep forgetting you still do that."

I laughed at her. "Well, I don't do it that much. I'm pretty sure I've got it all down by now anyways."

"What's left?"

"Just reading for Government."

"Boring."

"I know. So maybe I can do something with you guys. But you have to promise me something first."

"What?"

"Don't tell Edward about the whole imprinting thing. Not yet anyway. I know it's going to be hard keeping it from him, but I'd rather tell him on my own, if things would ever just calm down enough for me to be a sensible person."

"I'll try." I started at her with a murderous glare. "What? I said I'd try. I mean, not only do I have to keep quiet about being right with Alice, now I have solid evidence that the little pixie can't interfere anymore. I'm not made of steel Bella!"

"No, your harder than steel."

She waved her hand dismissively. "Turn of phrase. Fine, but you're going to have to tell Alice. And you're going to have to get married anyways, eventually."

"Fine, wait, why is that?" I quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Because Alice has to plan it."

I slumped my shoulders in defeat. "I guess. So I'll just see what Jake wants to do."

Conveniently, I heard his telltale thumping coming down the stairs. "Actually, I have to go on patrol in a few, so you're going to have to make your own fun anyways."

"Ok Jacob, I guess– _Holy. Crow."_ As I turned around I saw that Jake was still wet and clad only in a towel. I was mesmerised by a drop of water flowing down his chest, around his navel, and disappearing into the 'v' of the towel below his waist. "Why aren't you _dressed?"_

He looked at me as if I hadn't caught onto something he had said previously. "Because I'm going on patrol. No point in wasting good pants. I left them upstairs, I'll get 'em later."

"I'll wash them for you." I said automatically, torn between outright staring at him and the fact that Rosalie was right beside me.

"Oh, look, a wet dog."

Jake laughed. "Hey Blondie. Hey, do you know what you see when you look into a blonde's eyes?" I looked over to Rosalie to see her narrowing her eyes. "The back of her head."

"How unoriginal," Rose scoffed.

"Don't worry, I got more." At that he twisted and shook back and forth like, well, like a dog and splattered both of us with water.

"Well I never!" Rosalie spluttered as she tried to wipe herself off.

"Well, now you have." He walked up to the back of the couch in wide strides and, taking my head in one of his hands, leaned down and caught me in such a passionate kiss, I temporarily forgot that Rosalie was beside me and wrapped my hands in his hair before we parted again. "See you later beautiful. Oh, and Blondie? Next time you want to know how big it is, just ask me. I'll show you." He winked at her, turned around and headed for the kitchen, whipping the towel off as he reached the door frame and throwing it back at us, leaving both of us stunned and speechless as we watched him walk out of the house into the backyard, entirely naked and, though this may just be my personal opinion, entirely, utterly _gorgeous._

Rosalie was the first to speak, albeit in a hazy voice. "That jackass heard us."

I nodded slowly. "But he's a pretty jackass."

She nodded with me. "Still a jackass."

"Still pretty."

"I'll admit it, now that I'm sure he's too far away to hear it. Anyways, grab your books, Alice just wanted to watch movies anyway. I'm sure she'll help you study."

"What about Edward?"

"He's hunting. Needed a break after… well, after everything."

I nodded. "Alright, I'll come. Oh, and Rosalie?"

"What?"

"Jake totally won… whatever pissing contest you were trying to have there."

She nodded. "Let's never speak of this again."

* * *

"So new release or classic?" Alice danced around the big screen, her finger's gliding over the DVD collection.

"Um, just, you know, whatever you want," I said looking up from my textbook.

"Just put something boring in, we're going to be mostly talking anyways."

"Rose, I said I had to study."

"You read in the car."

"You drive _really_ fast."

Rosalie eyed me. "Tell her. Or I will."

I rolled my eyes, snapping the book shut. "What are you, the Blatant Honesty Police?"

"Just tell her."

"Why does it matter?"

"Besides, I already know what she's going to tell me. I _can_ see into the future you know."

"Ugg, I don't know which one of your is more annoying!"

Alice hummed to herself as she danced along the shelves. "It's probably me."

"So you are… ok with this?"

"Oh, not really. But what can I do?"

I stared at her for a moment, before turning to Rosalie. "Who is she and what did you do with Alice?"

Alice laughed. "I mean it. Besides, one way or another, I am planning your wedding. Even if I have to put that nice double breasted tux I had in mind on Jacob. And there's not much you can do about it." I agreed with her in the moment. Alice can get kind of scary when it comes to things like this. Though I couldn't really picture her getting Jake in a tuxedo for all the money in the world. Far too many layers of clothes.

"You might want to switch your plans to beach attire or something."

Alice shot me a glare. "What is wrong with wearing a dinner jacket on the beach? Especially if you get married here, where it's always cold?"

"Because Jake's never cold. Ever. And he, as a rule, hates clothes. You'll be hard pressed to get him to wear a t-shirt for the duration. That is, if it ever happens."

Alice mumbled something and finally pulled out a movie. "Here this one."

"I'm actually done reading, so I guess I'll watch with you guys. But you have to promise not to tell Edward a word too Alice."

"I'll try. You might want to break it to him soon though."

"Thanks." I grabbed the movie box as the previews started to play. "Cujo… well that's… subtle."

Alice shot me a glittering smile. "I thought so." I rolled my eyes and settled down, content to just let things lie rather than stir anything else up.

* * *

Monday's exams passed by like a rush. It was like I zoned in on the test as it happened, but by the time it was over, I couldn't even remember what test I had taken. Somehow I felt like I got through it alright. I had already gotten my online acceptance to Seattle and had mulled through their calendar before the first test, Math I think, started. I would just be glad when this was over and I could get out of high school for good.

What didn't fly by was the lunch break they gave us. I got to the cafeteria to see all eyes fall on me once again. Wednesday's incident hadn't worn off yet. This was obvious, as Jessica and Lauren were sitting with Mike and Angela, and Lauren at the very least looked ready to pounce. I cursed Alice for getting her break in a different time slot and headed to face the music.

_Just two more days,_ I kept telling myself, _and then I'll never have to see her again._ I sat down, smiling hello to Angela and Mike and nodding at Jessica and Lauren.

"Hey Bella!" said Mike in that cheery voice that usually meant he was going to ask me something. Something I didn't really want to answer. Most usually, on a date. Dear God, here we go.

"Hey Mike."

"So what did you do all weekend?"

A werewolf. Sort of. "Nothing much, hung out with Jake and Alice mostly."

"Together?" asked Angela, looking puzzled. "I thought they didn't like each other."

"No, separately."

"Oh," Mike sounded dejected at the mention of Jake's name. Well, he should be, but he didn't know that. Not really. "So what are you doing for graduation? Anything?"

"No idea, but I'm sure Alice is probably cooking something up. Though I'd rather just spend it on the beach in La Push."

Mike smiled. "We could have a bonfire or something."

Oh, Mike, you never stop trying. "Sounds good. I'll see if Jake and the guys are busy. They might want to come." Mike's face fell.

"You mention that Jake person a lot now," said Lauren in a careful tone. "Isn't that the guy who hit Edward?"

"Nope," said Mike, perking up as he peeled the sticker off his apple. Boys and their fights. "It was a girl that did it. Ask Bella."

"Yeah. Jake's cousin."

"So, what are you spending so much time with people that attacked your boyfriend?"

I gulped, I hoped not visibly. "He's not my boyfriend anymore."

Lauren laughed. "After all that and he dumps you."

I could feel my hands forming fists beneath the table. "Actually, I dumped him."

"I'll believe that when I see it."

My voice came out in an unfamiliar tone, cold and grating. "It's why Ve had to hit him in the first place. He grabbed my arm so hard it bruised."

"Really, so why haven't I seen it?"

I plopped my arm down on the table in a fit of rage and pulled of my watch. It was beginning to go yellow, but the full handprint was still clearly visible. "There. Now you have. What is this about?"

"Mike was just telling us that you went to the movies with Jake before." Geez, thank you Mike. Way to spill the beans. "And now you're doing all this stuff with him."

"What difference does it make to you?" Normally I wasn't this bold. I don't know, it might be that I took on some aspect of Jake when he imprinted on me, or it could be the growling the voice in my head was currently making, but I wasn't letting her shit lie this time.

"What, Bella, is he your boyfriend or something?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact, he is. Got a problem?" I ignored Mike's newly re-fallen face as I felt my temperature rise. I could swear my temple was visibly pounding.

Lauren appraised me slowly and then laughed again. "Well, Bella, I knew you had it in you."

What the hell was she playing at? "Had what in me?"

"That loose streak. Out of a relationship one day and in and new one the next."

I saw red. I was going to kill Mike and his big fucking mouth, but first, I wasn't going to take Lauren's constant nagging one second longer. Before I knew what I was doing, I stood up, and my arm was already in motion. "You're one to fucking talk!" My hand came down on her cheek and her head snapped sideways as I slapped her as hard as I could. My blood was boiling and I was breathing heavily as I watched her fall off her chair, clutching her face.

"What the hell are you doing?! And why are you so hot?!"

I stared down at her as she looked up at me. Bringing my hand into my vision, I could see my palm was sun burn read, the pad of my thumb white like blistering skin. I stared down at it in shock as Lauren got up and took a swing at me. I tensed, waiting for the hit to come, but it never did. Opening my eyes, I could see Mike standing between us, Lauren's arm caught in his hand.

"Fuck, Lauren, I should have known there was a reason why you were so inquisitive. Just stop it, you've done enough."

Getting a good look at Lauren, I saw my handprint on her face, red like I had scalded her.

We both ended up in the office, but the principal didn't want to make a big deal of it with two days to go, especially with both of our relatively clean track records. Apologies were extracted and promises of it not happening again were given, and we were let go to take our other tests for the day, which I did much like before lunch. But as I walked to class I pictured Lauren's red face and wondered.

_What the hell is going on, and what's happening to me?_

_

* * *

_

Jake POV

I was standing out in that same damn field, circling that same weird rock until Sam got there.

_Jake._

I turned to face the black wolf that came up behind me.

_So what did Ve say anyways?_

_ Nothing much Jake. She didn't know what it was either. But she didn't like it at all._

_ So… what now?_

_ She's going to check with people in Seattle. That bar scene there might know something. She said it seemed familiar but she couldn't place it, which could make it any number of things. She's knows it's not a vampire though, which is bad. It could be something we haven't seen before. One of those other horrible creatures she always has to face._

_ Fucking hell, I hope not._

_ But right now, we have bigger fish to fry._

_ Like what?_

He led me further off the trail of the new born to the end of our territory. There, I finally caught what he meant. The red-headed bitch. She was back and she was all over the place.

_Fuck. Just what we need. More leeches._

_ We're going to have to depend on the Cullens. Ve really didn't like that scent on that rock. She left her car here and as I led her out, she found this. She's going to scope out the situation in Seattle and see how many people are missing… and how many vampires she can find._

_ And destroy. We don't need any more fucking leeches, dammit._

_ Jake, I'm really, really glad for you. I'm serious. You didn't deserve to get shafted like that and imprinting on Bella is the best reward I could ever hope to give you, not that I did, but if you think about her fucking breasts one more time, I swear I'm going to rip you a new one._

I laughed and it came out as a yip._ You wish._

_ Yeah, I guess I do. Ve really has a point. You're probably going to run this pack someday._

_ Not until you're done with it Sam, I've got no rush._

_ Anyways, this is worse than you think it is. Come over here._

I followed him further out, running along the trail of the vampire that I sincerely hoped to personally tear into pieces, until we came to what he was talking about.

The scent of the newborn converged with the redhead's. And then another. And then another. Walking around in about a mile radius, 12 different scents converged on one point.

_Oh __**shit.**__ She already has them here._

_ There's more than last time. It was only 9 before._

_ Fuck Sam. __**FUCK!**__ She was fucking waiting for Ve to leave!_

_ That's what Ve suspected. There were only 6 when she and I were out here first. We're going to increase patrols as much as possible. You might not have a social life for the next while._

_ How soon Sam?_

Sam paced around me as we met again and stared off into the forest, where Victoria and God knows what else was lurking.

_How soon Sam?!_

He looked at me with mournful eyes. _With this many leeches? Sometime in the next few days._

A/N: Ooh, tense moment.

I know, I know, I'm teasing you with the limes and I'm _horrible_ for it. But it's just too much fun!

For music, we have Killer Anna by The Medic Droid, Are You Still Mad?, by Alanis Morissette, and haxxy boxcore, by lulzbot9001. If you like happy hardcore and don't care about stupid internet drama, youtube the last one and prepare to be listening to it for a few hours.

So please drop me a review guys, I love reading them, and I hope you all had fun!


	9. Eras End As The War Drums Begin

A/N: Oh ho ho, I've got one person worried and another one hopeful. EXCELLENT. *rubs hands together evilly* High Viscosity: I generally actually agree with you. However, one of the things I'm trying to do here is instead of drawing the big red 'X' on all parts/themes I didn't like, is to use them and work around them or switch them up. It helps keep me, and I guess you guys on my/your toes. I keep thinking I wanna give you guys hints, but I'd probably just ruin the whole damn thing. So in the dark you stay.

Yay school basically done. Which means I can get this done. Which it is because you're reading it, I guess.

I don't usually dedicate stories to people, but this chapter's for walkingaftermidnight and her story Epiphany, for making me consider aspects of Jacob I had never thought of before. You've definitely inspired me, even if it doesn't show through in this chapter so much. Credit totally on you for helping me solve an almost dilemma. You'll get it when it happens, I'm sure.

Also, thanks to SarahLea for giving me a remindatory boot to the ass, or something like that.

***I'm going to take a moment to restate the rating. It's M for a reason, and this includes violence. Jake's POV in this chapter is not going to be for everyone. I warn you, if disgusting or gory things bother you, you may want to skip it. There are some important points in it, but it's going to get fairly squicky by the end. This is not a chapter for children. Consider yourself fairly warned.***

Anyways:

Bella POV

My hand flew over the page of my last exam. It was English, and the one I was best prepared for, so all I really wanted was to get it over and done with, so I could move on from high school and towards the rest of my life. I tapped my pen against the edge of the desk, trying to form my next thought. Last question, comparison of Shakespearian Romance to Victorian Romance. Given my experience with Shakespeare, the Brontes, and Jane Austen, this should be a breeze, but, like several other times during this test, I was momentarily blanking. To my own surprise, it had nothing to do with test jitters, that Edward happened to be sitting 3 rows away from me because somebody brilliantly decided the whole senior class should take the English test at the time in the gym (not that there were that many of us anyway), that my mom wasn't going to see my graduate because Phil broke his leg, or the fact that Lauren had not-so-conspicuously been shooting me glares from two seats across.

It was because I hadn't heard from Jake at all since he left my house yesterday morning. He hadn't called last night, and I found myself staying up waiting for nothing as well. I did hear a lot of howling going on last night, so I had initially thought it was pack stuff. I called him this morning, but Billy said he hadn't been in all night. So, of course, the worst possible scenario jumped into my head: He was lying in three pieces somewhere in the woods having been torn apart by Victoria. Somehow, I managed to avoid a near panic attack by staring _very_ hard at my acceptance to Seattle's English program (thankfully one where you could take most of the courses online), and reminding myself that a life with Jacob meant having to get a job, which meant having to graduate high school. I fumbled horribly through the obstacle course for Gym, but that was to be expected, and I knew (or at least hoped) that Coach Clapp would let me squeak by with a B for 'effort.' But, as much as I tried to throw myself into the English test, every so often I would find myself zoning out and my thoughts coming back to rest on Jake being in danger, Jake being injured, or even worse, Jake being dead.

I sighed audibly again (garnering another glare from Lauren) and forced myself to answer the question. I had to scratch out the last three words as they became illegible from my pace, rewrote them and leapt up, only to fall over as the force from my standing up caused the desk to topple sideways, catching my foot on the way down. Mortified, I hurriedly grabbed my things and righted the desk, as Lauren snickered at me, and then nearly sprinted to the front to hand my test in.

One of the adjudicators smiled at me politely and said, "I'm sorry, I can't let you go for another 20 minutes, please take a seat on one of those benches. And, of course, please be respectful of your other classmates."

I felt my shoulders slump as I nodded and headed for the benches. The temptation to tap my feet was incredibly strong, so eventually I pulled out one of my English novels and began reading, even though I had just finished studying them and didn't really want to look at them this soon. Other people eventually finished and I found myself feeling less awkward as the benches beside me filled up. Angela smiled as she sat down beside me and turned on her iPod. I gave a nod back, and then went back to reading the same sentence for the fiftieth time as Wuthering Heights jiggled between my nervously bouncing knees. I looked up to see Edward finishing and getting up. My throat went dry and painful at the prospect of having to sit beside him, while worrying for Jake, while worrying what Jake would think about him sitting beside me, while knowing that all this worrying is really just stupid and childish, and Jake wouldn't even care really, and I'm the only one making a big deal out of this, and I'm giving myself a stomach ache for nothing and-

"It's half past two. All those students who are finished may now leave."

As the adjudicator spoke I stopped my admittedly lame inner monologue and bolted for the door. Somehow I managed not to do anything clumsy until I got outside of it – when I slammed into the lockers on the opposite side

I growled under my breath as pain broke out in my forehead and left knee. My temples pulsed from the sudden stop and I couldn't believe I just did something that stupid. I peeled my face off the metal as I heard Mike asking if I was alright behind me, but before he could come and try to help me, or Angela or Lauren, or, god forbid, Edward notices what I did, I ran off towards my locker, ignoring the slight limp I had taken on thanks to my slammed knee.

_Books, bag, other assorted crap, come onnnnn,_ I whined in my head trying to get out of this damned building as fast as possible. I fumbled through loading my bag when Mike finally made his way beside me.

"Bella, god, are you ok?"

"I'm fine Mike."

"I mean, you really hit those lockers hard."

"I'm _fine_ Mike."

"Are you sure, because, man, you really slammed into them, I couldn't let you go walking around with a concussion."

"MIKE!" I growled at him as I slammed my locker shut. "I am _FINE._ I just want to go HOME!"

I saw him blink a couple times and swallow, and then I realised that I was inches from his face, screaming at him. I shook my head to clear it. "I… I'm sorry, it's just… I had a bad day, and I can't wait for it to be over so I really want to go."

Mike rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously. "Understandable I guess… I mean, you know all the studying…"

"Yeah, studying." I said dismissively, throwing my bag over my shoulder.

"So are we on for the beach."

"Um, I dunno, I think Alice might want to do something at their place instead."

"Oh, that sounds cool." I glanced at him, irritated that he followed me and just wouldn't leave me alone. He was probably going to ask me out again. "So are you doing anything tonight?"

_Predictable,_ I thought as the voice in my head sniggered.

"Yeah, I'm going to La Push."

"Oh. Well then."

Christ Mike, take a flipping hint.

I walked in uncharacteristically long strides towards the double doors, vaguely listening to Mike drivel on about something, making note of what hours I had to work next week when he mentioned them. I gave a slight, satisfied smirk at the sound the doors made when I punched them open with the flat of my hand. I headed out to the parking lot, scanning it, hoping for… well, Jake to be there.

The fog from this morning hadn't let up, but most of the parking lot was still visible as I scanned it over. I felt my heart skip a beat when I spotted a tall copper-skinned man, in cut-off jeans and a dark grey t-shirt standing in the parking lot.

I smiled and felt myself instantly calm down as I headed away from my truck towards him. But as I got closer, I could see that it wasn't Jake. He was too lanky, not muscled enough and his face gave away his young age in ways his body did not. You could tell he was a teen by that, and by the unsure, nervous way he stood. In fact, it was too nervous, like he was going to bolt at any moment. And his hair was too short, not chopped off like most of the rest of the pack, but ending at the bottom of his ear, whereas Jake's reached below his shoulders now. I walked up to him at any rate, ignoring the sneer on Mike's face as he saw the tall boy so obviously from La Push. Getting closer, I saw that I didn't actually know who this was, but I immediately felt sorry for him as I saw the expression on his face. His hazel eyes darted around the parking lot, as if looking for an out, and he was shaking, not like he was about to phase, but from pure nervousness.

"Um, hey," I said tentatively as we reached him.

"H-hey. Are you, uh… are you, um, Bella?"

I nodded.

"Uh, can I like, talk to you. I mean, without him." He pointed a shaking finger at Mike, who frowned in response.

"Mike, take a walk."

He turned to me surprised. "Do you even know this guy?"

"Mike, can you just go? Please?"

Mike looked between me and the boy, once, twice, and then finally shook is head and stomped off, huffing in disgust.

I turned back to the boy. "Hey, are you ok?" I asked softly. "Just calm down, it's going to be ok." It was a total lie. Inside I was shaking worse than he was, worrying that this was the messenger they sent to inform me of Jake's doom, but I knew that one of us had to act calm if he was going to get through this without phasing.

The boy shook his head slightly. It was almost a twitch.

"Hey, just sit down and tell me your name. I'm sorry, I don't recognise you. Come on." I led him with the gentlest of touches over to a nearby turtarrier. He sat down and swiped a hand through his hair.

"I'm Colin… I'm, uh, new at this. I uh… well, I actually just… you know, figured out how to _turn back_ this morning. I'm sorry if I'm scaring you or something, I just don't know if I can hang on long enough. I mean, I hope I can, Jake will kill me if I hurt you. And I mean kill me."

"Jake sent you?" My heart sped up. _He's ok…_

"Yeah, him and Sam."

"Colin why did they send you? I heard Sam and Ve talking about you, they had to have known you aren't really cut out for this right now."

"You're telling me." He said with a nervous laugh. When he answered, he talked too fast, like it was the only thing keeping him together, which it very well may have been. "I mean, Brady's still stuck as… well, you know. Oh, God, I don't want to be here. I don't want to hurt anyone."

I put a hand on his shoulder carefully. "Colin, it's going to be ok."

"No, it's not, I'm holding on by a thread here, I _shouldn't_ be here, it's too soon, I don't know what they were thinking, but I can't be here." He swallowed and started breathing heavily, looking like he was about to jump up and run off.

"You just have to stop thinking that way, Colin. You can't let it happened. You promised Jake."

He gritted his teeth, straining. "Yeah, yeah, I promised. I'll be ok. I'll be ok, right?"

I nodded. "So what do they want you to tell me?"

"Jake wanted to apologise for, uh, not calling you. Something came up."

"Something?" I asked, slightly irritated by the reasoning.

"Something big. That – that thing. The red headed leech. They caught scent of her. And others. A lot of them. Right on our border. They're coming."

I swallowed. "When?"

"I dunno. But it's soon. That's why they sent me. They can't spare someone who knows what they're doing. But I don't know if it was the best idea, because I'm barely keeping it together here. It almost happened when I smelled a squirrel and wanted to… you don't even want to know."

I hoped it was more towards the tearing apart end of things than anything else, but nodded anyways. "Ok, so what do they want me to do?"

"I don't really know. There was a fight. Jake wanted you to head to La Push, but Sam said you should stay with the leech-things we allied with, because the only person who could watch you in La Push would be, well, me. And, uh, Brady, but he can't really hang around. Like I said, he's… stuck. And they might call for us to help, so that could be pretty stupid."

"I can imagine."

"Normally, I would say you couldn't, but I guess you can."

I nodded again, thinking. So Jake was ok… but he was facing just what I didn't want him to this very moment. "So which one?"

"The leech-things I guess? I mean, Sam's alpha and all, and he said someone had to make it look like everything was normal, so you have to go with them to– waaaagh! Oh, holy fuck, what _is_ that?"

A hand flew up to cover his mouth and nose as I looked up to see Edward and Alice standing not far from us, looking Colin over cautiously. I cursed under my breath as I looked back over to see Colin sprawling on the pavement.

"Oh God… get it away. It's horrible! It's sweet…Christ it's too sweet, it making my stomach turn." He dry heaved as he pulled himself to his knees.

"What the hell, Alice?" I said through gritted teeth.

"We were just making sure he wasn't going to hurt anyone," said Edward, frowning at the boy coughing on the pavement. "I can see it's a good thing we're here. He's losing it."

I stood up. "Edward, he would have been fine if you two would just give him some goddamned space! He's new at this, get the fuck out of here! How is he supposed to take being around you?" I looked down to see him groaning.

Edward looked like he was going to stand his ground when Alice put his hand on his shoulder. "Come on, we need to give him some room. Edward, let him be. We'll wait by our car. Come on." With a light tug Edward turned around and followed Alice.

Colin gasped and clutched his chest, panting. "What… the hell… are they?"

"Vampires." I whispered, getting down on my knees to help him. "They're the ones I have to stay with."

"How can you stand them?!" he asked with wide eyes.

"I can't smell whatever it is you smell. Come on, I'll get you out of here." I only realised how ludicrous it was that I was helping a six foot two man up when I nearly fell over trying to get him his feet. It was an uneasy start, but we slowly made our way to my truck. "We have to stop at my house to get some stuff, but then I'll drive you part way down the high way, until I have to make the turn to get to the Cullens. Unless you got here by driving?"

He shook his head. "No, I, um, ran. I… uh, I can't actually drive yet."

I narrowed my eyes. "No one taught you? Not even Jake or Paul?" I said, naming the two big gear heads of the pack, not that they all didn't share some interest.

"Oh, they're going to teach me. You know, when it's time."

We got into the truck and I looked at him as I started up the engine. "What do you mean 'when it's time?'"

"Well, I'm only fourteen."

I looked at him gape-mouthed. He was _only fourteen? _Christ, he looked older than I was! "Really?" He nodded shakily. "Wow, Ve wasn't lying when she said you were young."

"N-nope."

"Come on then. I'll be able to get you half way." We drove out of the parking lot, Mike still giving us an odd look, and headed for my house. Colin stayed in the truck as I ran in to pack a bag. When I came out he was still nervously running a hand through his hair. I got back in and headed to the highway.

"So… how are things going?"

"Uh, you mean with me or with the… fight?"

They were fighting already. I gulped. "Both."

"Well, I'm hanging in here I guess. It's a lot better now that I'm not stuck. I h-hope Brady's ok."

"And the others?"

He shook his head. "We don't know what the hell's going on out there. Paul came back in screaming something about giant spiders, and when Jared went out to check, he could have sworn he saw Jigsaw, you know, the killer from that movie?"

"What? Spiders and movie killers?"

"We don't know what it is either. It has something to do with that smell. The smell that smells like nothing."

"Is that the weird thing Jake and Sam found."

"Y-yeah. No one knows what it is. And the fog… it gets foggier the closer we get to the leeches. Earlier this morning we actually _saw_ it roll down into a valley, like it was snow rolling down a mountain. It's not natural. Whatever the red-haired thing is doing, it ain't good."

Weird smells, unnatural fogs, giant spiders? This was weird, even for Forks. I let Colin out as I got to the turn and wished him good luck as he headed into the bushes. Taking a deep breath and gripping the steering wheel, I turned down the road that eventually leads to the Cullens.

* * *

As I turned into their driveway, I saw that Alice and Edward chose not to wait around for too long, and made it here before I did. I stopped the engine and headed for the door, grabbing my stuff. Before I could reach the door, it swung open to reveal Esme.

"Alice said you were coming," she said, smiling. "I started something for dinner. I hope you like gnocchi."

"They're fine, but you didn't have to go to the trouble."

"It's no problem, Bella. Really."

"I… well, I kind of have to stay here tonight."

Esme frowned. "Alice didn't mention that. Is something wrong?"

"She wouldn't see why, considering who was in the car. But yeah, something's very wrong."

"Well come in, this fog must be a little cold for you."

I shivered just then, realising how cold I actually was. It was odd, this morning was warm, and now I needed a jacket. I followed Esme in and dropped my bag by the door.

"I need to talk to Carlisle. Or Alice. Maybe all of you. We have a problem."

"A problem with what?" said Alice as she hopped down the stairs to land next to me. "I hope you aren't changing your mind about staying overnight as soon as you got in the door."

"What happen to seeing the future?"

She rolled her eyes. "I don't do it all the time. So what's the matter?"

I took a deep breath. "Victoria's here. And she brought help."

I heard Esme gasp as Alice shook her head. "It can't be, I didn't see her."

"Didn't you just say you don't do it all the time? Besides, she's up to something. Colin, the guy I was talking with, he said they saw fog rolling in, and… something about giant spiders. Well, only Paul saw those."

"Giant spiders?" Alice raised an eyebrow. "That's… a little outlandish…"

"Says the vampire who can see the future."

"Fine. So what are we supposed to do?"

I bit my lip. "Right now? Nothing. Sam just said I should stay here. Jake wasn't happy about it, but he'll get over it. There was something about you guys not doing anything to keep up appearances. It might be weird to have to have La Push devoid of teenage boys _and_ the Cullens gone."

Alice huffed. "Really, Bella, we have to do something."

"Alice, come on, they really feel this is their fight. They'll come if they need help. They sent me here, didn't they?"

"Alice," warned Esme. "They have a point. We'll tell Charlie she's sleeping over so that you can help her dress up for graduation tomorrow." Esme looked at me. I cringed at the thought of another Alice pampering session so soon, but nodded all the same.

"I'm offended that you're bribing me with that. But I'm accepting it all the same. I already have your outfit picked out."

I laughed despite myself. "Well, it's too bad we can't go out and get it."

"Oh, don't worry. It's here already. I picked it out a month ago."

_The little one scares me Bells. Quick, we can still get to La Push._

You and me both, Jacob-conscience, but we've gone through it before, and we can go through it again.

I sat down in the rarely used kitchen and ate the pasta Esme and Rosalie prepared. I was always shocked at how well they cooked for not eating.

"So what do you want to do after I'm done? No offense, but I'm going to try to go to sleep early. I've had the most stressful day."

"I can imagine. How hard did you hit that locker?"

"Alice, it's not nice to remind her how clumsy she is."

"Look whose talking Rosalie."

I laughed as they mock-bickered with each other. After the past couple weeks, it was good that we were all friends again. After dinner Emmett came downstairs and royally beat my ass in some racing game I'd never heard of.

"Bella, you suck," he said as we put the controllers away.

"So do you according to some of my new, better friends that don't tease girls for being bad at video games," I said playfully, giving him a shove. The shove of course went nowhere as it felt like I was shoving a wall.

"Point taken," he said laughing.

I got up and looked behind us at Rosalie sitting on a chair reading a magazine, looking up from it as Emmett came up behind the chair Jasper and Alice were sitting on the couch doing some catalogue job of Alice's CDs, and I noticed the significant lack of one person.

"Guys, where's Edward?" I played with my hands nervously as I waited for the answer.

"He went hunting just before you got here. Didn't say when he would get back," said Jasper.

I nodded slowly, watching as Alice pointedly said nothing. That had to mean he was avoiding me. All for the best, I suppose.

We watched TV and I was instructed through the pallets of make-up Alice was considering trying on me tomorrow when Carlisle came home from the hospital. After being informed of the situation, he agreed with the choice. As expected, I began to crash from the knot that had been in my stomach all day around eight and went up to have a quick shower. I brought my stuff downstairs to the couch to see that Emmett had resumed his Xbox playing.

"Hey buddy, get out of here, I'm turning in. You have a console in your room."

"I'm working on an old favourite here. Besides, you aren't sleeping in the living room."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Where am I sleeping then?'

"Well Edward did go and get that… what?"

We both looked up to see Carlisle staring at Emmett shaking his head.

"Woops," said Emmett, rubbing his head.

I sighed and stared at my socks for awhile until I looked up at Carlisle. "What did Edward get?"

"It was for that sleepover that was supposed to have happened Bella. Rather innocuous really. You did need somewhere to sleep."

I sighed again. "Come on. Show me."

With a sigh Carlisle led me up stairs and to the door of Edward's room.

"It's really not that bad, Bella."

"Just open it."

The door swung open to reveal a giant four poster bed, metal roses winding their way up the posts.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me."

Carlisle gave a slight chuckle. "We thought it was tasteful."

I choked as I exhaled. "Tasteful? Carlisle, that thing's _huge!"_

"It's really very nice."

"It must have cost a fortune though! I would have freaked out if I saw this that day!"

"Oh, calm down Bella, no you wouldn't have."

I jumped as Alice appeared behind me, Emmett in tow. "Alice, what have I said about sneaking up on me when I'm in a state of awe?"

"I forget. Anyways, you might as well sleep there. It's not like Edward uses it."

"That… that's not the point! It's his room. We aren't _together_ anymore."

"Alice! Stop interfering!" I heard the shout come from downstairs.

Carlisle rubbed his brow and shook his head. "That's quite enough Rosalie."

Alice sniffed. "I'm not interfering anyways. Just pointing out an obvious. It _is_ meant for you."

I gritted my teeth, pushing back the snide comment Jacob was making in my brain, to hiss out a snide comment of my own. "Well, why don't I just load it in my truck, take it to La Push and give it to Jacob then? I mean, if it's _my bed,_ then I can do what I want with it right? And he's far better sized for this monstrosity than I am! I'm sure he can break down the roses to fix door dents or something!"

"Oh, snap!" Emmett held out his hand for a high five, only to receive glares from both Alice and I.

"Emmett, no one says that anymore. And if that's what you want Bella, than fine. But if Edward went to all the trouble of having it made special, don't you think you should at least use it?"

I nearly floated out of my socks. _"He had it made special?!"_ As Alice nodded I looked back at it and groaned as many, many digits flew around in my head. "You can't guilt trip me. I'm not doing it."

"That's fine Bella, you don't have too," said Carlisle, glaring at Alice. Emmett, for his part just shrugged.

"Fine, but then Emmett's going to have to give up the living room."

"Hey, no way! We have, like, a dozen other places she can sleep."

"The living room is the only place with an acceptably large couch."

"Guys, I really only need a small couch," I interjected, to no avail.

"Have her sleep in your room!"

"What about Jasper? It's his room too!"

"Bullshit, that's your room and you know it, Jasper has his study."

"If you're so concerned about keeping the living room, then give her your room!"

"Guys, this is silly," I said, still not getting an answer.

"But what about Rosalie! I actually share my room!"

"Well you're the one so concerned about using the TV!"

"And you're the one who was so excited about a sleep over!"

"Well, she's a guest."

"GUYS!" I tried to ignore Carlisle's bemused look as they both finally looked at me. "Fine. I will sleep that behemoth of a bed. But only because it's the only way to make you both _happy!"_

Alice smiled and gave me a hug. "Good night Bella, I can tell you'll be asleep in no time. You must be very tired."

And with that she skipped down the stairs, to what new nefarious deeds, I did not know, but I had a feeling she planned this whole thing.

"You know Bella, you really don't have to sleep here, I can find something for you," Carlisle said helpfully.

I put up a hand to stop him. "No. She's relentless anyways. Next she'll be extolling the comforts of the thing and how good it will be for my back with all the slouching I've done today. I just want to go to sleep." I shoved them both towards the stairs, giving Emmett some extra force for laughing, not that it mattered, and went inside Edward's room and shut the door.

Exhaling, I looked at my surroundings and started chewing my lip.

_Well, here we are. In the leech's room. Well, at least the bed looks comfy._

You are possibly the least helpful imaginary voice ever.

_Naw, I'm tons helpful. My ideas are fun, Edward was all don't do this, don't do that, kissing Jacob is such a bad idea. What a downer._

And you're the life of the party?

_You got it babe._

The Jacob in my head was possibly more arrogant than the real one. I wonder what that said about me.

I peeled back the covers and got into the bed as if I was lowering myself into a scalding hot bath. I had to admit though, once I got in, it was the most comfortable bed I had ever been in, not that I had been in many.

Pleasantly enough, I somehow managed to forget I was in Edward's room, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

For the first night in a few nights, nightmares plagued my sleep. This time they were of Jacob and the pack strewn bloodily about a field, the Cullens being torn apart, and Victoria's horrible red eyes. I must have tossed and turned, because as I woke up, I found myself tangled in my sheets. I sighed and tried to right myself without taking the entire bed spread with me. It was then that I noticed the faint glow as the pale moonlight reflected off something – someone rather – sitting on the leather couch.

I rubbed my eyes, hoping I was imagining Edward's form on the sofa, but as I opened them I realised that I wasn't. He was beautiful as ever, almost painful to look at through my bleary eyes as he shone in the moonlight. I caught myself before I was transfixed and felt anger tickle its way up my spine as I wondered how long he had been sitting there.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice cracking as I became more awake.

"It's my room."

Fine. I couldn't argue with that. "Alright, I'll go see if Emmett's done with the living room."

I got up, grabbing a pillow and headed for the door. I didn't make it three steps when he was in front of me. "Wait, Bella, don't go."

I tried to step past him, but he held me firm. "Edward let me go."

"I just… wanted to talk."

"Then you should have waited for me to get up."

"I was."

I glared up at him. "You should have done it some place else."

"You never used to mind."

I couldn't believe him. How could he just think everything would be the same? "Edward I'm not going to let you watch me sleep. I'm not going to let you hold me. If we aren't together anymore, it isn't right."

His glaze shifted downwards. "I don't know how you can move on so quickly. One day we're in love and the next you're running off to… _them."_

I rolled my eyes. "There was trouble long before then."

"It's because I wouldn't let you see _him,_ isn't it?"

I gulped and avoided his eye contact. "Partly."

He let go of me and paced the room, pinching his brow. "Bella, how was it that he could be so connected to you and not… want to be with you. I saw how the mutt looked at you, it didn't matter if he was a werewolf or not, it wasn't proper for you to be alone with him."

"It's up to me to make that call, not you!" I said, stabbing a finger at his chest.

"Bella…"

I walked around him and headed for the door. "He was my best friend."

"Was?" I swung around as he said that and knew I had slipped. "And what is he now?"

_Say it! _My head screamed, me and Jacob in unison. _Just say it and be done with it!_

I took a breath, determined to let him know once and for all, but when I looked up into his eyes, they looked so desolate, so bare of hope, that I couldn't bare to throw the truth in his face like this.

Instead I said, "None of your damn business!" and walked out the door, slamming it on my way.

I stormed down the two flights back to the living room to see Emmett still playing his racing game.

"Hey Bella."

"You anywhere close to being done?" I said, seething. I don't know what was with me lately, but I got angrily so easily.

"Well I got half of the stuff unlocked, why?"

I stared at him a moment as he turned to face me, before huffing out "You're such an asshole," and heading back up stairs.

I heard a "Hey, what did I do?" as I pounded up the stairs and down the hall.

I knocked on Rosalie's door. She opened it, drying her hair.

"Hi," she said, sounding rather perplexed to see me.

"Hi. Your husband's an asshole. Can I borrow your couch?"

"Um… sure?" I walked past her and headed towards the love seat. "I have ask though, why my couch?"

"Because Emmett won't give up the living room and I'm certain Edward won't come in here."

She shook her head softly. "Edward came home."

"Yes," I said through gritted teeth. "And decided to come watch me sleep. And then ask personal questions about Jacob."

She laughed. "So you finally told him about…" She slowed to a stop as I began shaking my head. Her eyes widened and she started singing "London bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, sure you can go use the couch, just please don't hold out too long." As she sang out the last two _slightly revised_ lines she pushed me towards the couch and kept on humming as she turned off the lights and went back to combing her hair. I suppose now that I had gone to her for help she was going to play watch guard, but at this point it didn't matter to me all that much so long as I got to go back to sleep.

* * *

"Stop fidgeting!"

I shot Alice a glare as I straightened the tight dress again. The red number she put me in was far too short for my tastes, even though the blue graduation gown covered it. We stood in the alphabetical line for the ceremony and I was shocked as to how short it was. Alice had no problem seeing me fidget or shouting to me at all despite the gaps in our names. I could hear Principal Greene talking on stage while we waited behind it for our names to begin.

"Can you believe this?" asked Jessica, beaming. How I wished I could be that excited. I was too nervous worrying about how I was probably going to make a full of myself walking up the stage. The fact that we were waiting in the soft grass on the field wasn't helping anything. Why did I let Alice put me in heels?

"Yes," I finally got out. "I can. I just want this to be over."

"Somewhere to be Bella?" said Lauren sneering at me.

"Will you stop it?" I heard Mike whisper to her.

"Bella," Jessica said from beside me, drawing my attention away from the front of the line. "I just want you to know that I'm so glad you came to Forks. I know we haven't always been the best of friends but my last year here was so special."

"Uh… thanks Jess." I never really got the whole getting sentimental/it's the end of an era thing. Sure, I'll miss people, but I don't really see the point of trying to make everything better. Lauren's never going to like me. Jessica's bubbly and I'm not. I'm always going to be remembered as Edward's girlfriend. I suppose it was too bad in some cases, but oh well.

"Benjamin Cheney."

I watched as the line started to move as names were called. Jessica gave a slight squeal and said "This is it!" I moved forward, trying not to stick my heel in a hole.

"Tyler Crowley… Alice Cullen."

I laughed as she looked back and gave me a wave before dancing around the corner. How could someone do this so many times and still be excited about it?

"Edward Cullen." I saw the copper head walk around the stage and the sting finally started to set it. This year was huge. I had my first real crush, my first real boyfriend… my second real boyfriend, I guess. First kisses, new friends, and a life choice that turned out not to suck entirely (and one that almost did) swam through my head as I zoned out for awhile. I was brought back by Principal Greene saying "Lauren Mallory," and watched as what was possibly the most useless rivalry I ever had turn the corner like it was gone. Which wasn't true in the slightest, I'd probably be getting sneers all through the party from her, but for a split second it was like the divide between now and the rest of my life was that corner and having to turn it, having to leave the safety of high school (as ludicrous as that is when you go to high school with vampires), and face the world, where I knew the dangers of life existed, possibly better than just about everyone else here, was a turning point that washed away everything in my past. I suddenly became nervous for more reasons than falling over.

"Michael Newton."

And exactly how much I haven't been paying attention to everything because of Edward started to get to me. I mean, I got to go to Italy. Italy! Anyone else would have been ecstatic. But no, I had to go to save his life. And did I stay even a day to enjoy an entire new continent? Nope, it was back to Forks right away. What the hell was wrong with me? I mean, sure it wasn't the best time for a vacation, but really, I treated flying half way across the world as entirely normal because it was for Edward. How jaded is that? How did I get that jaded in the first place? Well, enough of that shit.

"Jessica Stanley."

"Jessica!" I hissed to her, stopping her just before she turned the corner ahead of me. "I, uh… I'm really glad I came here and got to meet all of you guys too. I mean it." Please don't think I'm too lame. Please don't think I'm too lame. Pleasedon'tthinkI'mtoolame…

She smiled back at me and grasped my hand. "No problem Bella." And then she turned the corner and I was left with the prospect of having to go out there next. Holy Crow Bella, calm down, you've faced down vampires and werewolves, you can walk across a silly stage and get your diploma.

I waited as Jessica walked across stage for what seemed like a small eternity, until finally my name was called.

"Isabella Swan."

I stepped forward uneasily and managed to stick my heel right in a divot. I teetered for a moment, but managed to catch myself. I straightened my gown, pulled my dress down for the fiftieth time, and walked around the corner. Without focusing on anything else, I was determined to get on stage without making a fool of myself. One step, two steps, last step, don't wobble, don't let the stupid cap thing fall off (God I hope I had enough pins in it). Right, walk on stage, towards the Principal, don't look at the audience, don't look at the audience…

Oh crap, I looked.

Even for the graduating class being so small, the gathering of parents and friends at that moment seemed huge. I heard a cheer and looked over to see my father clapping, wearing a suit that probably wouldn't have seen the light of day for a decade if it hadn't had been for Harry's funeral. A holler came up next and with a quick scan of the crowd I saw Emmett and Rosalie sitting next to each other. The noise came from Emmett and I couldn't help but laugh as he pumped his arm in the air. Jasper, Carlisle, and Esme sat behind them, clapping politely. My throat went dry and I noticed two people missing. The first, of course was Jake. I hadn't expected him to make it after what Colin told me, but a girl can still hope. The second, and surprisingly more painful absentee was my mother. I knew Renee wanted to be here so much and the fact that she wasn't brought a tear to my eye.

I finished the short walk to Principal Greene, shook his hand, took my diploma and, surprisingly, made it to my seat without falling. I zoned in an out of the rest of the ceremony, Jacob's absence reminding me of the danger he's in right now all over again. I almost forgot to turn my cap string when the time came. When it was all over, the class was graduating each other by the stage. I was glad, I really was, but my mind was entirely occupied.

"Bella!" My dad came to pull me away from Eric.

"Yeah Dad?"

"I know you have your party to go to, but how's about I take you to dinner? Just you and me, like old times."

I smiled. I knew I was going to have to go through an 'I can't believe how fast you grew up!' speech, but it was worth it. "Sure Dad. Alice, I'll be by later." She nodded as I waved, and Charlie and I headed for the parking lot.

* * *

Jacob POV

_What's the status?_

I ran past rocks and trees, my four feet flying over the ground as I bounded up the steep hill to get a better look.

_What's the fucking status?! Jared! Answer me!_

Finally I could see through his eyes again as they reopened. He pulled himself off the ground and I watched his vision focus as he shook his head.

_They hit fucking hard, that's the status. Christ, that hurt._

_You ok?_

_ I'm fine, I'm fine. The chick who hit me, however, is about to get her head torn off._

_ How many?_

_ Two I think. Here at least._

_ Paul?_

_ FUCKING LEECH FUCKERS GET THE FUCK BACK HERE!_

_ Oh yeah, Paul's ok, _Quil snickered.

_No I'm not, I got four over here and they're fast little shits. Fuck YOU! _I saw Paul's vision tumble as a snarling face came into view. _You. Little. Sneaky. Fuck. HA! Make that three. Dammit let go. Stupid fucking disembodied hand. Let go! LET GO! Letgoletgoletgoletgo! Shit! There. _His vision jolted as he bashed his side against a tree until the offending body part let go.

_Did you only rip the hand off?_

_ And the head. And I think a leg. Fine, maybe three and a half. What about you Jake?_

_ Nothing this way. I'm pretty sure they're all coming from the north now._

_ Good work Jake. Shit! Get your ass over here._

I took off. It was so rare to hear Sam swear that I knew it must be important. Heading along the ridge I found Seth and Leah cornering one of the newborns near a dead log. It was a male, and young at that, looking more like a twelve year old kid until it snarled. The thing screeched as Seth clamped on to its leg. It clawed at the ground, taking out clumps the size of volley balls, as Seth dragged it back towards his sister. Leah pounced on its back, sort of hopping on it while it squirmed. Its short hair stopped it from being pinned and one of its arms swiped back to hit Leah in the side. I stopped when I saw its hand come away with fur and blood.

_AAAURGH!_

_ Leah! You ok?_

_ I'm fine, get going Jake. Seth, keep holding._

_ Ok! Just be careful!_

Leah leapt off its back and clamped her jaw around its shoulder and neck.

_ PULL!_

With a gut wrenching CRACK, the thing came apart in two, its shirt ripping against Leah's teeth. Its hands still sprawling, its feet still kicking, Seth and Leah dragged the two pieces of it back out of the trees in the direction of La Push, to where we had bonfires waiting.

I headed all the way around the ridge to where Sam was standing.

_What's up?_

His black head lifted to point out something just beyond where the trees cleared. _Over there. Look at that… thing._

I followed his gaze. There, _she_ was standing, the horrible red haired bitch, watching as her fucking army of minions charged the trees, into where Quil, and Embry were waiting. A muscular blond man stood beside her. I growled and prepared to run down the hill when Sam shook his head beside me.

_No, that thing._

He pointed again and I saw… it. Or was it a he? He looked male, but despite fact that it was naked its… bits weren't there. It looked more like a corpse, with a horrible mottled complexion somewhere in between sickness and bruisingm yellow and black splotches covering its body. It was bald and its hands and feet looked horrible and scarred. Just then his left hand twitched and I watched, horrified as it looked like something was sucking the bones out of his hand from the inside. One by one his fingers flattened until it looked like his hand was a dead flesh coloured glove, and then it split below his wrist and his hand flipped back onto his forearm. There was no blood. I felt my eyes bulge out of my head when I saw it, but there was no blood, only a thick black ink that dripped slowly out of the wound. Out of his gaping arm what looked like a metal spike emerged and I heard a horrible high pitched screech as it opened its mouth. The rest of its limbs followed suit, the bones of his hand and feet getting sucked in one by one until it was on all fours, walking almost like a four legged spider, each spike sticking in the ground to give it leverage as it moved beside the red haired leech. Its hands and feet flopped around beside the spikes sickeningly as it moved. It screeched again, and I watched transfixed as a fog came out of its mouth and swept up to the trees. Embry and Quil yelped as it hit them. Quil managed to hold his ground but Embry came running back up the hill.

_Bees! Holy shit giant ass bees! Why'd it have to be fucking bees?! Goddamn motherfucking BEES!_

_ Embry! Get a hold of yourself, there aren't any bees!_

He didn't even stop as he ran passed me. _The hell there aren't! I fucking __**saw them**__ Jake, an entire fucking swarm headed right for us. I'm gonna go find Paul. You stay here and get stung._

_ I don't know what the hell he's talking about, _said Quil._ There aren't any fucking bees down here. One of the vampires looks like my mom though. I mean, I know she's at home, but one really fucking looks like my mom._

_ You gonna be ok Quil?_

_ Not for long, get Jared or someone down here. I can't take all of these on alone._

_ Jared!_

_ On it._

_ Come on Jake, we have to go for help._

I growled at the prospect. _What about Ve? Any luck?_ The whole time Sam had been screaming at Ve, trying to do that talk with your wolf thing.

_I don't know. If she heard she isn't answering. We're going to the Cullens, treaty line or no. They'll understand. I have a plan._

_ What is it?_

_ I'll tell you on the way. Let's go. Paul, you're in charge until I get back. Keep everyone close and keep those kids out of trouble. Brady, Colin, you are __**scouts.**__ Do__** not **__engage unless you absolutely have to._ I heard them assent as Sam circled around. _Come on Jake, let's go. You're with me._

I nodded as much as I could in this form and headed back along the ridge with him. We ran for the creek which eventually ran behind the Cullen house. We had bags stashed here in case we needed to them, and we were in a hurry to grab them and be gone. In my mind I could hear my brothers (and sister) fighting and it spurred me on faster. It looked like we were going to get out of there without any trouble until Sam suddenly disappeared from beside me. I stopped and turned around to find him tackled down by two bloodsuckers.

_Dammit! Jake, help!_

_ Sam!_

I don't know what they were doing this far out, but I lunged at one, pulling him off Sam before he turned on me. He dove and I found myself rolling with him as we hit a rock and stopped. Normally, the force would have broken the tiny, emaciated looking girl's back, but her new vampire strength kept her together. She tried to claw for my eyes as I began brutalising her neck, biting, pulling and tearing until she leapt off of me with a howl of pain. I jumped up, landing next to Sam as her and the other one, a larger girl, circled us.

_How the hell do we get ourselves into these things?_ I asked.

_Just lucky I guess._

_ Go for one and ignore the other?_

_ Don't have time. They both look pretty small._

_ Outrun then?_

_ No way in hell, we have to kill them both, and fast._

_ We're no where near a fire Sam! _I saw something in his eyes as we paced while they circled. Oh shit, he can't mean that.

I flashed back to our training with Ve.

_We sat around the campfire, waiting for Ve to speak as we left the Cullens that day. "So, my sons, do you think you are ready?"_

_ Sounds of assent came from everyone but Sam._

_ "Something wrong?" Ve asked, her funny icy eyes snapped on him, in that way that made you jump._

_ Sam answered as he stared into the fire. "Yeah. This is going to be a lot of vampires. What do we do about burning them?"_

_ Ve smiled, although her expression looked grim. "Ah yes, how to kill a vampire without burning it. Tricky, very tricky. Doesn't really occur to you at first."_

_ "What doesn't?" asked Paul as he stopped horsing around with Quil._

_ "Our bodies. They're stronger than humans, in every way, yes?"_

_ We all nodded._

_ "This includes our stomach acid, yes?"_

_ Embry laughed. "What does that have to do with it?"_

_ Ve looked at him seriously. "Everything. If you have no fire there is only one option to killing a Cold One. You must eat them."_

_ "Eat them?" Jared dropped the stick he was playing with in disgust. "I don't want to fucking eat them."_

_ Ve laughed. "No, it is not the most pleasant thing in the world to do. Especially not the first time. They do tend to wriggle. It is why we save that punishment for our most hated enemies. As uncomfortable as it is for us, it is exponentially more painful for them. A slow death in acid is not a nice one. They stop wriggling almost as soon as they hit your stomach, but according to a few mind readers I know, they stay alive past that. The good news is that after you swallow them you don't have to stay a wolf to digest them. That would be particularly annoying. But if the time or the circumstance calls for it, it is what you must do."_

_ "And you've done this?" asked Paul, amazed._

_ "Yes," she said, looking up. Her face was painted with an angry mask, thinking of one of those most hated enemies. Maybe even the one who killed her son, I thought to myself. "Yes, I have._

I shook my head as the vampires were still closing in.

_If you're thinking of what I think you're thinking, no fucking way._

_ We can't just leave them out here, Jake, who says we'll ever find them again?_

_ Do we really have to fucking eat them?_

_ Just don't think about it and do it._

I really hoped that would help, but somehow, I knew it wouldn't.

They closed on us and attacked. The larger girl struck at me with her hand, but I got away. Sam was not so lucky, as the smaller girl picked him up and threw him into a tree. He landed with a yelp, but sprang back up.

I took that chance to charge the small bitch while she gloated, and Sam ran by me and did the same to the larger girl. The switch up worked as I clamped down on her arm and yanked. I pulled her into a roll and her arm came off in my mouth from the force. She screamed, and her arm wiggled around in my mouth as she looked at her left side to see where it detached. I bit her hand off at the wrist and she screamed again, floundering on the floor. I looked over to see Sam on top of the other girl's chest, growling as he attacked her face.

I steeled myself, trying to accomplish the gruesome task at hand. I forced my jaw to open and close as I crushed her hand in it. Thankfully, while the taste was nothing to write home about, it wasn't so horrible that I spat the thing out. It was more the realisation of what I was about to do that unnerved me.

I chewed once, twice, three times and then threw my head back. The last glimpse I caught of her, she was looking at me wide eyed, not believing what I was about to do. Truth be told, I was right there with her. I shut my eyes as I forced myself to swallow.

It was horrible. Everyone tells you that if you swallow a worm it will wriggle all the way down. Well, I swallowed one when I was ten on a dare, and let me tell you, it was entirely motionless, especially compared to this. It burned as her fingers protested going down my esophagus, and I shook my head in a feeling that wasn't pain, but just as bad. It was somewhere in between a tickle and a twitch and I don't think I've ever been so glad to reach the end of a swallow as I was now. True to Ve's word, the moving stopped when it reached my stomach.

The leech, however, didn't agree with me. She started screaming in agony and further writhed on the ground. As it turns out, eating at least part of them isn't wholly a bad tactic, as it completely incapacitates them from the pain.

I still didn't fucking plan to make it a habit.

Soon the screams of the other one mingled with the leech already in pain as I continued with the rest of her arm before leaping on her. Sam, infinitely smarter than I, went with the face first and shut up the thing under him pretty quickly. I could see why someone would do this for revenge now. As I swallowed her arm, the thing didn't fight back at all, just screamed and screamed clawing at where her arm used to be like she was trying to stop it from going down my throat. I almost felt sorry for her, considering a few days ago I would have fought off Victoria to protect her. But I didn't have time to dwell on being compassionate with my brothers in trouble and Bella to save. As I, for lack of a better term, _wolfed_ down the leech, I think I finally understood what it was to be Ve. I thought I knew before what doing something you didn't want to do for people you cared for was about was like, but the truth was, being a werewolf _was _fun, as much as I thought it made me a monster. None of this was really all that hard once I was able to be friends with Bella again. I got a ton of perks and the only downside was having to learn to control my temper, and really, everyone should do that. But this? This was god awful, and yet I somehow didn't mind as much when I knew I had to, because we needed to get to the Cullens. There was no two ways about this. Do it, or your friends die.

We made as short work of it as possible, surprising ourselves in being able to completely consume a vampire each in under half an hour. I tried to trick myself into thinking it was just something crunching like candy or toast but it failed at every step of the way. I was extremely thankful when it was over with.

_You ok Jake? _Sam asked, licking god knows what off his chin.

_No. That was the most disgusting fucking thing I have ever done in my life!_

_ Just be glad it's over._

_ It's ain't over for us._

_ Yeah, guys, that was fucking gross._

_ Embry, Quil, shut it! Come on Jake, we need to get there now._

I ran off after him, perfectly happy to not stick around.

* * *

Bella POV

"You have fun, OK?"

I rolled my eyes. "I will dad."

"You staying at the Cullens?"

"I don't know yet. I'll call you."

"Alright, have fun."

I waved as he drove back up the lighted path and headed into the house. I was so happy to be out of that dress that I didn't even mind the nice shirt and new shoes Alice demanded I wear to the party. Walking in, I could see that everyone else was here. Leave it to me to be late to a party I supposedly partly arranged. Getting a closer look, my jaw dropped.

The house was decked out like a night club, complete with a flipping light up floor. I gaped around at the lights and plush sofas that seemingly came out of no where. Alice cheerfully waved to me from the DJ booth, where she and Edward were choosing music. I gave a half-hearted wave back as I took in the room.

Leave it to Alice to absolutely overdo EVERYTHING.

Deciding that I spent enough time looking like a fish, I walked over and joined my friends, after leaving my bag in a closet. Predictably, Lauren did sneer at me, but I ignored her and sat down next to Angela.

"So." I said.

"So." She said back. "How about this house?!"

"I know, it's… crazy."

"Is it always like this?"

"No… no it's not."

"Well it's really, really cool of them. Let's dance!"

I put my arms up in resistance. "Angela, I'm a horrible dancer."

"It's fine, come on!"

I let her drag me out to the front of the dance floor where I was facing Alice, who laughed as she watched me try to dance.

"It's not as easy as breathing for everyone you know!"

"You're doing fine Bella!"

"Yeah, right!" I rolled my eyes, but I enjoyed myself, despite the outrageous dance floor, despite looking like a fool and despite Lauren glaring at me. Eventually I bumped into Mike.

"Hey Bella!"

"Hey!"

"This is pretty awesome, huh?!"

"I guess so!" I answered with a shrug.

"So where is your boyfriend?!"

Goddammit Mike, can't you let it go for one day? "He's busy with school I think!"

"Oh… you wanna dance?!"

"We are dancing Mike!"

"I meant with me!"

"I think I'm gonna take a break!"

I retreated to some chairs were Alice, Emmett and Rosalie were sitting, now that Alice was done programming the music.

"Having fun Bella?" she asked with a smirk.

"I'll admit it, I am. Even though…"

"Even though what?" Asked Rosalie.

"Well, I don't know what Jake is doing out there."

Emmett smiled. "I'm sure he's ok."

I huffed. "I just wish I knew. Alice, can you see Victoria at all?"

Alice shook her head. "Haven't been able to for a while. I didn't even know she was in the area."

I sighed. "I just wish he was here."

"Well, you might get your wish."

I turned to Rosalie. "What do you mean?"

"I smell dog."

She pointed to the door and as if on cue it swung open to reveal Sam. He was topless, carrying a duffel bag. As we walked in the door, I looked behind him to see that he was followed by Jacob, carrying a bag of his own.

My heart skipped a beat as I leapt off the chair and ran for him. Just as I was about to reach him he threw his arms up to stop me.

"No, Bells, don't. Do _not_ kiss me. You have no idea how happy I am to see you, but I think it would be best for everyone involved if you just refrained from touching your lips to mine for the next little while. At least until I brush my teeth… about a thousand times. Just trust me on this one, you don't want to know." He grimaced, stuck his head out the door and spat, aiming off the steps. When he looked back at me, Rosalie was beside me with a look of disgust on her face.

"Aww, Blondie, you _really_ don't want to know. Really. Just let it go."

She still shot him an angry look as she spoke. "Well I know dogs don't know _how_ to knock, but seriously, I would have hoped Bella would teach you."

"Just get Carlisle out here. We need to talk to him. It's urgent." Rosalie stared at Sam as he took out all her thunder by being calm and called Carlisle's name up the stairs. Somehow, over all the music, he heard and came downstairs. Meanwhile, the rest of the Cullens, most notably Edward, made their way to the door.

"Yes Rosalie, what is it? Oh, Sam, Jacob, it's good to see you, I didn't know you were coming…"

"We weren't," said Sam. "But we need you. Now. Victoria's attacking, she's got some… creature with her and we're being over run. We need you help, direly."

Carlisle nodded in thought. "Esme, you'll have to stay to watch over everyone here. Sam, did you have an idea as to what we're going to do? I mean, I know we've reviewed this, but I need more on the situation at hand."

"Yes, I did. I'll explain it before we go." He headed inside lead by Carlisle. Everyone else turned to follow him and I was left there with Jake. Edward shot a look between us and then turned around to follow.

"Where do you think you're going, Skippy?"

Edward stopped in his tracks as Jake spoke. "You mean me?" he asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Yeah, I mean you. You're coming with me."

"I think it's hardly the time or place to… challenge me to whatever duel it is you've cooked up."

I put a hand on his chest. "Jake, don't."

His hand came up to grasp mine. "I didn't mean that. You're coming with me. That's part of the plan. You want to keep Bella safe, don't you? Bella, grab your bag, you're coming too."

"What?" asked Edward, honestly perplexed.

Jake looked behind him, and then grabbed him by the collar and pulled him outside. When they were out the door, he let go and started jabbing him in the chest with a finger. As he spoke, his height and sheer musculature became apparent once again, dwarfing Edward. "Look, I don't fucking need your bullshit right now. I have done things to vampires today that would make your head spin. And don't even think about looking in my fucking head to find out. I may not have learned enough from Ve to keep you out, but if you so much as think of reading my mind and I catch wind of it I am going to show you exactly why I am your natural born enemy, am I fucking clear?"

Edward glared daggers at Jake until he noticed the slight tremors that ran through his body. He nodded as I placed a hand on Jake's back. "Jake, calm down. Just tell me what's wrong."

I felt him tense and relax before he spoke again. "I've just had a really fucking bad day, punctuated by a really fucking bad event, and I can't get this goddamned _taste_ out of my mouth. I mean, it wasn't all that horrible before, but now it just won't fucking go away." He spat again into the grass.

"What on earth are you talking about, mutt?"

"I told you once leech, you don't fucking want to know. Bella, let's go."

I ran back inside and grabbed my bag and coat from the closet, making a slight detour to go grab about a dozen bottles of water off one of the tables in the living room. I put most of them in the bag, except for one, which I handed to Jake when I got back to the door.

"Oh my god, you're a saint." He took a big swig, swirled it around his mouth, and spat it out, before draining the rest of the bottle in two gulps. "You have no idea how much I needed that. Let's go. We got a lot of walking to do."

As I followed Jake and Edward out the door, I really regretted these new shoes.

A/N: Well, there it is. I know it took awhile, but, you know, school.

I hope Jake's 'event' wasn't too squicky for ya'll, but after Bella's gallivant in a cocktail dress in Breaking Dawn, I'm sure it can't be all that much worse. And yes, I made werewolves a little stronger to add some balance, and I can't remember if they were immune to vampire venom, but they are here.

For music, we have quite a bit, because I worked on this so intermittently. The beginning of this chapter has been finished for a month now, I just didn't have the time to get on with the rest. But now I have lots of time. Anyways, we have, in no particular order Apologise by One Republic, Rev 22:20 by Puscifer, Viva La Vida by Coldplay, Creator by Santogold, Vicarious by Tool, Pet by A Perfect Circle, She Loves Everybody by Chester French, Helena, The Ghost of You, and Thanks for the Venom by My Chemical Romance, Carmelina by Matthew Good Band and Lux Aeterna by Clint Mansell. Make of it what you will.

So, squick and all, this was a lot of fun to write, but what tops it off is your reviews. Press the button down there and drop me one.


	10. Twist Turn

Pre-A/N: I've edited the A/N a thousand and a half times, plus with the A/N I gave before I got this chapter out, I'm just gonna leave this the way it is and stop editing it. It's there for you to read if you care. And I know it's very late, shit hit fans and stuff. Sorry guys *shifty eyes*

A/N: Do vampires taste like chicken?! Seriously, you guys are grosser than I am! Lianne Rose: Making people almost throw up is in fact my goal in life. I imagine it tastes like a steel hard block of molasses dipped in honey and covered in pop rocks and mould. Or something along those lines *shifty eyes* Sickeningly sweet and mostly gross.

I never realised I was going to have to research rock formations for this story. Huh.

So, IMs, what's that about? You guys, if you have an account can send me one if you have a question or something, I check my account every day or so. Sarah's already been kicking my lazy ass again. Err, not so lazy ass. Nope, nope, lazy ass.

If it's not one thing, it's another. My poor much abused laptop has been with me through many times. Keys crooked (and one missing, heh) from hours of me banging away at them in equal parts excitement and frustration. But it's a trusty thing. And then it got malware. The evil, let's make it so you can't open up any programs associated with Windows kind *glares*. Which Microsoft Word unfortunately is. Sigh. I'm getting this chapter out before I have to send it in for a much needed hardware update so, unfortunately, the next chapter might take awhile too. *pats laptop* I know, it's not your fault, I forgive you.

As you may have guessed, I didn't get this out before it got sent back. But now it's all new and shiny and back, yay!

Lastly, thanks to Opheilia82 for one of the best reviews I've had. Nothing like a big chunk of text with some good criticisms. There is one thing I guess must be said: Some boo boos can't be kissed better. Because some are, well rather permanent. Hamlet permanent *shifty eyes*. SM may not be able to do it, but I can.

I totally drew out those last two words in my head. I've seen Dark Knight like twelve too many times now.

And yeah, my brain does move faster than my fingers. Doesn't help I write most of this at four in the morning. The plot bunnies, they punish me so. I'm probably going to have to revamp this at some point, right now I'm kind of chill because I just graduated. WOO! Yay for degrees!

Wow, this is a long A/N

Anyways,

Bella POV

Edward and I trudged along behind Jake. We had been walking quietly behind him for what had to have been two hours by now. Well, Edward was walking. I was stumbling along behind him. Surprisingly my inability to walk didn't come from my clumsiness this time. I was struggling to keep up as Jake made long strides across grass and rock. He only stopped once to help me over a log and then continued at a pace my short legs balked at trying to maintain. The slow drizzle that had started wasn't helping things, as I began sliding on the ground under my feet.

Whatever was wrong with Jake at the house refused to leave him as we walked through the forest behind the Cullen's house. He kept mumbling something under his breath, and stopping every few minutes to shake his head. I looked at Edward in the hopes that he knew what was going on, but he looked just as puzzled as I.

"What's he saying?" I whispered to him.

He looked back at me. "Something about gross vampires. I'm trying not to pay attention. He did ask."

"Damn right I asked." Came the response back from Jake and I didn't press the issue any further.

My legs ached under the continuous strain of having to walk at my largest stride possible. I could have kissed him when he finally stopped to look at a map and a compass.

"Where are we going anyways?" I asked, panting.

"East. Hoh Rainforest. And we're not moving fast enough."

I choked in response as I leaned on my knees to rest. It's not that I'm the most unfit person in the world, but the pace Jake was trying to maintain was making my lungs burn. I couldn't keep up this half jog any longer. The only benefit is that I didn't notice how cold it had gotten until we slowed down.

"Jake, I can't…" I gasped for breath and shivered. "I really can't go any faster."

"I'll carry her," Edward said, trying to be helpful.

Jake shot him a glower back. "Yeah, not happening. Besides, _I'm_ moving too slow. I'm gonna have to phase. Bella, give me your bag."

I took it off, thankful to be relieved of the weight and handed it to him. He took a length of nylon rope, the kind you used for camping, and tied the straps of my bag to his duffel bag, leaving a long distance in between. He nodded as he got up and turned to me.

"You're gonna get on my back when I phase, after you throw this over it like… well, like saddle bags. And not a word from you smart ass," he said, jabbing a finger towards Edward.

Edward raised his hands in innocence. "I didn't say anything, but can I at least read your mind so we can communicate when you're phased?"

Jacob thought for a moment. "Fine. But don't go digging around."

"I wouldn't dream. Where are we going anyways?"

Jake sighed. "There's a cliff face Sam knows about when you start to get closer to the mountain range, with a couple of rock shelters big enough to stick a tent in along it. We're going sent up camp in one of those, put our backs to the sandstone. Safer that way. Meanwhile, you left a brush at Emily's house when you stayed there, so we were throwing your hair all over the woods all morning. Then we engaged them as soon as we saw them, so they have no reason to head the Cullen house and find this trail. Even if they do, when they find us, there's only going to be one direction that they can come in without having to tunnel through solid rock."

I gasped. I knew things were headed in this direction, but I didn't really think about it until now. I grasped the cold scar on my hand, and wondered if there weren't going to be others with one of these when this was all over. "Is everyone ok?"

Jake sighed again. "Physically, yeah, we're fine. Mentally… There's this thing out there, looks like a zombie fucked a spider and that's what became of it, and it's spooking everyone. People are seeing shit that isn't there. I don't know where Victoria found this thing, but it isn't good."

"And you?" He hadn't been acting anywhere near normal since he got to the Cullens, and as strange as zombies fornicating with spiders was, this was more important.

"Nope. Not going there."

"Jake, come on, tell me. Please?" I was not comfortable with how withdrawn he was being. I needed the Jake I knew and came to love at a time like this, and was not against begging to get it. Something in this catastrophe had to be normal after all, and if it couldn't be Jake, who smiled through _everything,_ who could it be?

Jake looked between me and Edward for a moment before slumping his shoulders in defeat and running a hand through his hair. "Aww, Christ, he's going to find out anyways, I can't keep this shit from him in my head if I tried." He gulped before he began again. "On our way here, we got attacked by two bloodsuckers. We couldn't risk bringing them to the Cullens, so we had to kill 'em. But we didn't have any fire." He looked at the ground. "So we did the only thing we could?"

Edward sneered. "You left them out there."

Jake returned in kind. "Do I look like an idiot? No we didn't leave them out there. We killed them."

"How?" Edward asked, incredulously. "Does that woman bruiser of yours have any other tricks up her sleeve?"

"As a matter of fact she does!"

Their voices had been steadily rising as they argued, and at the last exchange Jake whipped around to stand inches from Edward, staring down at him. I saw them lock eyes, and watched as Jake ground his teeth in the familiar way that signalled his anger. I stared, locked on them as they too were locked in their own contest, and I looked on as they silently waged war with their egos.

Much to my surprise, it was Edward to break away first. His topaz eyes went wide in shock and he broke his stare, choking behind a hand. He swallowed after a moment and looked back up at Jacob. "You… you _monster._ How could you?"

Jake sneered back, but it wasn't his usual confident expression. It was hollow, devoid of the self assurance he always carried. "See enough then? You know, you vamps are all alike. You never learn. That little slip of a sister of yours stared daggers at me the whole time I was near Bella at your house, and will probably always stare that way at me, even though I'm the one out here doing the most to make sure Bella stays safe and _alive. _And you? You got told once already not to go looking in heads because you might just not like what you find there, and what do you do? Did you pay attention to a single fucking thing Ve said?"

"That's not the point. How could you do _that?"_

Jake towered over Edward just like he did back at the house, making the shorter man look small and frail compared to him. Anger rolled off him in waves, like I could see them, falling off his neck and down his back. I felt my stomach go cold with worry as Jake continued. "Because I had to. Because it was the only thing I could do, and you know it."

"There's always another way than… that."

Jake laughed bitterly. "Now I know you let entire lessons of Ve's go in one of your rock hard ears and out the other. No, _Edward,_ there isn't always another way. Sometimes there is only one way, and that way is the hard, dirty way that you idiots like to keep insisting doesn't exist."

Edward glared at him before turning to me. "I'm leaving and I'm taking Bella with me."

"The hell you are," Jake growled back dangerously.

Edward ignored him and walked towards me, grabbing my hand. I pulled against his grip, not gaining any leeway, but making him stop in his tracks. "No, Edward, we're going to follow Sam's plan. It's a good one, we just need to work together." Somewhere, deep inside, I was proud that I made the choice to listen to Jake so quickly instead of letting Edward influence me, but now was not the time to dwell. I wanted them both to be safe, and if that meant having to keep them together, so be it.

"Bella, I will think of something, but I cannot allow you to be around him. He's dangerous."

I tugged again and this time he let go. "That's the pot calling the kettle black and you know it, Edward!"

"You didn't see what he did!"

"Whatever he did he had to!" My new found loyalty overrode my curiosity, but only momentarily. "What… what did you do Jake?"

"Bella, you don't want to know, just trust me, it's bad enough to make me want you to get away from him."

"Edward, his existence is enough to make you want me to get away from him." I stared at him before looking back at Jake, whose chest was heaving as he breathed deeply, trying to control himself. "Jake, what did you do?"

"Fine then, why don't you tell her, you mongrel, show her what you really are."

"You stupid sack of shit!" Jake's hand came up as if he was going to strike him, but he stopped mid swing and instead ran it through his hair, tugging and letting out a growl. "I. Ate. It…. There, are you happy? Ve told us that our stomach acid can break down a vampire's body, so I fucking _ate _the thing. And as much as it sucked, I'd do it again too." I paled as he spoke the words and felt my stomach churn as I involuntarily imagined Jake swallowing a leg.

Edward coughed again. "You're sick."

"Says the undead monstrosity that tears apart animals."

"She was a _person."_

"She was a fucking thing Victoria created to help kill Bella, who you would have gladly ripped apart and burned were she here attacking Bella right now. What the fuck difference is there between that and eating her, when you have to?"

Edward blink trying to come up with a response, but none came. Jake exhaled and turned back to me, and part of me cracked as I saw the fear in his eyes. "Jake…"

"I… I'm not proud of it, really… But Bells, I had to. I absolutely had to. When it comes down to being you or them that dies, it's them, every single time."

My head spun at trying to absorb everything I was feeling all at once. The disgust at such an act was there, there was no denying it, but the devotion in his eyes, the sincerity, it changed everything.

_You heard me Bells. I did it to protect you. I'm willing to eat something that for all extensive purposes looks human to keep you safe, that has to count for something…_

It does Jacob-conscience, but that doesn't stop it from being disgusting.

It seemed hard to accept at first, considering how I felt when I first though Jake was killing people, but then I thought back to the campfire, and to the Third Wife. I thought it noble that she gave herself up so that her family could survive. How could I justify a technical suicide without being forced to take another look at protective cannibalism? Was it really cannibalism anymore? I didn't know, but Ve's words rang in my head.

Sometimes, you just don't have the liberty to keep your morals.

I nearly wretched, remembering how much Jake wanted to get the tasted out of his mouth, but managed to hold fast. "I understand Jake. It's… well it's not ok, but I understand."

Edward gaped at me. "Bella, you can't be serious!"

"I am," I blinked back tears, remembering what the others were doing right now, "and we're wasting time. People could be dying out there because of me and we're arguing in the woods over something that's really stupid in the long run Edward, so let's get to those cliffs and make sure our families aren't dying out there in vain."

Edward gave a heavy sigh. "When did this... become so messed up?" He murmured, betraying his usual manner of speech.

"Probably about the same time it became a fucking war Cullen."

"This isn't a war Jacob."

"Yeah, you're probably right. This is just a battle. The war's coming when we take on the Volturi. If you think it's not going to get worse from here, get the fuck out of the trenches while you can." Jake sounded more and more like a Marine with each passing day.

Edward stared at him for a moment. "You just… believe everything that woman tells you, don't you?"

Jake laughed. "You should know better than anyone that I don't have to believe, Cullen. I've _seen._ Ve slips up too sometimes. I don't know, maybe it's intentional but I've seen evil fucking things your kind has done. Just evil, there's no other way to describe them. She's seen a lot of evil, whether it be from us, you, or regular people. It didn't get messed up Cullen, it was always messed up."

Edward shut his eyes, and I thought he must be remembering what Ve made him see at the meeting. He didn't speak until he opened them again. "Fine. You're right, you're… both right, it is a good plan. Put our backs to the sandstone. We should go then."

Jake nodded and I found myself hastily turning around as he began to strip off his shorts. I surprised myself by being able to blush at the thought of a naked Jake even out here in a freezing drizzle after learning he ate a vampire. I just hoped Edward didn't see.

I heard the awful sound of bones cracking and reforming and turned around to see him stare back at me from his almost eye-level muzzle. It still shocked me how huge he was sometimes.

He crouched down on all fours so I could sling the bags over his back and get on, before getting up again. It was… awkward to say the least. I remember Renee letting me ride a pony a few times at a fair that opened late spring just outside Phoenix. I liked it, it was a remotely sporty thing I could actually do. But the horses had saddles, here I could feel the muscles in Jake's back flexing as he walked, which made balancing a little harder to do. He walked around in a circle before looking back at me and whining.

"What's wrong?" I asked, errantly running my fingers through his fur.

"He wants you to lie down. We're going to be sprinting, and he doesn't want you to fall off. Closing your eyes might be a good idea too."

"Oh. Yeah, thanks."

"Just hang on. Yeah, you better not drop her, mutt."

_"Edward,"_ I warned through clenched teeth as I laid my head down on Jake's surprisingly (for a wolf anyways) broad back, clenched my knees and grabbed at whatever fur I could. I heard Edward sigh as I closed my eyes and then suddenly, my stomach lurched as I jerked forward and landed back again. My hair blew in wind that I knew wasn't really wind as Jake took off. Sounds became confusing. I couldn't tell if I was hearing twigs snapping under Jake, or if it was Edward running beside us. Maybe it was both. Eventually the world began spinning so much even with my eye closed that I had to open them just do see what was going on.

Jake's long fur encompassed most of my view. I had become spectacularly warm from Jake's body heat, even with the wind whipping by us. Above the copper fur, I could see tree tops blurring as Jake moved. So far watching the tree tops wasn't that bad, so I decided to poke my head up to see what was going on.

Of course, I picked a spectacularly bad moment to do so. Looking up, I saw the terrain around us blurring as the trees did. Watching the ground do that was slightly more sickening than the trees, but that wasn't what I was worried about.

What worried me is that we were headed straight for a fallen tree.

It had cracked at the base and when it fell it landed against another tree, creating a block in the path that would have been fine, were we walking and able to go under it. But on a wolf the size of car it posed a far larger threat.

My voice caught in my throat as the trunk came closer and closer. I wound my hands through Jake's fur and yanked hard, hoping he'd notice, but he didn't veer from his course. Finally, right before we hit, I managed "JAKE! LOOK OUT" and tried to shut my eyes to brace for impact, but for some insane reason they refused to shut. I looked on in horror as the tree was in front of us.

And then below us.

And then... _above _us?

Jacob leapt as we were right in front of the fallen trunk and twisted in a full circle to make in between two nearby standing trees. My stomach swirled with him as my fingers grasped for dear life on the handfuls of fur they were wrapped around, digging deep enough to pinch skin. My eyes finally obeyed the command to shut and I buried my face in Jake's back, cursing harshly as we turned. My entire body lurched forward as we landed and I felt a strong urge to throw up.

And then, of all the ludicrous ideas in the world, we _sped up._

I huddled against Jake, begging my throat to keep down Esme's carefully prepared party food, which was threatening to rise. We continued on like this until the sun had nearly set. Somehow, despite my thudding heart and pounding stomach, I managed not to vomit on Jake, though it was by sheer will alone. Finally, as the sun was about to disappear at the far edge of the sky, we made it to a small clearing cut off by a sheer rock wall and Jake got down to let me off.

I climbed my way off him and collapsed on the ground, choking for breath, spitting at the ground, wondering if I should keep trying to keep it down or just wait for it to come up. My eyes burned and my throat stiffed as I clutched for purchase at rocks and twigs, barely noticing Jake shudder back to his human form beside me.

"Bella, are you ok? Just breathe honey." I looked up at him, unbelieving that he'd think anyone could be ok after that hellish ride, but just nodded and continued gasping. Both he and Edward gave me concerned looks before they took to setting up the tent in a crevasse at the bottom of the rock wall. It wasn't long before they started fighting.

"You're doing it wrong, Jacob."

"No I'm not, it goes this way."

"The instructions clearly say those pegs are for the back straps."

"What fucking difference does it make?"

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose. "If you don't properly stabilize the tent, it could collapse on us. You'd know if you did this before."

"I've slept outside before, jackass."

"Yeah, on the ground."

"Shut you fucking mouth leech before I rip you a new one."

"As if you could, pup."

Fed up, I weakly threw a large pebble between them. "No... goddamn... fighting..." I managed to pant out before rolling onto my back to rest. The tent went up in silence after that.

* * *

I laid back on the layer of sleeping bags at the bottom of the tent when they were done. Jake had brought about 8 more than we needed, but I was grateful for the extra layer of cushion. Still, the wind was sharp and the only thing that was stopping it from piercing the tent was Jake's heat. Which is why I was fiercely upset when Jake got up to leave.

"Where are you going?" I asked, aghast that he would leave at a time like this.

"I'm going to take first patrol. Edward's gonna watch you and take second. We'll switch between that and having both of us here every few hours so we can report back and make sure to head off anyone that makes it here." He looked over at Edward. "If you need to kill one, drag it back to the fires. They're on the map I gave you. I got my own way of disposing of 'em." He gulped, looking at me, and then ducked out of the tent.

My heart sunk as I watched him zip it up from the outside and turned around to see Edward picking lint off his sweater.

This was going to be a long night.

I laid back down to see if I could get some sleep, but, despite the emotionally and intestinally exhausting journey, I could tell immediately that sleep was not coming at time soon. Getting back up, I took a deep breath and saw Edward still picking at the now non-existent lint on his sweater.

"So," I said, looking down at my shoes, trying to find the words to say. "How have you been? I mean... was I this lame before?"

Edward laughed, despite the both of us. "No, you weren't. Then again, it wasn't this awkward before." He ran a hand through his hair and our eyes met. I felt the familiar tickle in the pit of my stomach I always felt when he looked at me, but to a far lesser degree than ever before. Somehow, I didn't think it would ever go away.

"No... we weren't." I paused for a moment, twisting my fingers in my lap. "I'm really sorry about all of this?"

Edward blinked and looked at me. "All of what?"

"You being out here to help me when we aren't even...." I trailed off as Edward raised a hand to stop me.

"Bella, you would have never gotten into this mess had we not attracted James' coven to you. The least we can do is finish the job."

"It's like you're endangering your family for nothing."

Edward rolled his eyes. "As if Alice would ever let me live down letting you die. Even if I didn't want to come, she would have dragged us all here. This isn't for nothing Bella. You're still... special to me."

"Thank you, Edward." I let my hands fall to my sides and watched Edward lean his head back against the wall of the round tent.

We fell into a silence that wasn't entirely comfortable. The cold was seeping through the tent and into me, even though I already had one sleeping bag wrapped around me. I was just starting to shiver when Edward spoke up again.

"So what do you see in him?"

As odd as it was, I didn't expect that to be coming. I should have thought about it, but I still jolted when I heard the words come out of his mouth. "What... what do you mean?"

Edward scoffed lightly. "I mean we're nothing alike. He's... he's a child, and immature and his thoughts about you are entirely immodest and-"

_"Edward,"_ I warned through gritted teeth, feeling myself become suddenly angry. "Do you always have to talk about him that way? I get it, you're older than him by nearly a century, but you're the same to me, and you've never considered me a child."

"That's because you're not. You're extremely mature for your age."

"And Jake would surprise you."

"He certainly surprised you."

"I didn't leave you because of him. I thought we were over that."

Edward laughed again. "No, I guess we aren't. You have to admit it's not very believable."

"My relationship with Jake isn't believable?" I felt my anger rise again.

"No," said Edward shaking his head. "That's not it. Jacob having nothing to do with you breaking off our engagement is unbelievable."

"Oh." As I caught myself I saw that I had jolted up and my fists were clenched. I relaxed again, taking in his words and found myself agreeing with him. "You're right, I guess. Just not the way you think you are. It had something to do with Jacob and the rest of the pack. I wanted to see them, whenever I wanted... and I didn't want to become their enemy."

"I'm not their enemy, Bella."

"Can you blame them for thinking so? I mean you yourself told me that you were the perfect predator and now you're mad because they agree with you." Edward set his jaw and said nothing. We fell into silence again before I answered his original question. "He's... he's normal. Not to say you're weird but he's possibly the best adjusted person ever to suddenly turn into a mythological creature. And he's funny and... relaxed. I don't feel like I have to try to be something more around him, like I don't measure up. I can just be... me, two left feet and old tennis shoes and all. There's no pressure and I'm not standing in awe of him we just... are."

Edward looked at me a second before beginning to nod slowly. He chuckled under his breath and said "Sounds nice. Comforting and warm. Not hard and cold... like me." He smiled sourly.

I shook my head. "Don't say that Edward. It's not that you can't be comforting. You're just... magnanimous in ways Jake isn't. You're scary almost. You're..."

"I'm a big bad vampire?" He said, laughing sincerely this time.

"Yeah," I said, laughing back. "But Jake's the big bad wolf, so it's not like he's any better in that regard.

Silence descended upon us for a third time and I shivered, truly feeling the cold. It was getting easier and this time I just let the minutes tick by, but Jake's imprinting, the white elephant in the room was still there, even if I was the only one that knew about it.

I knew that this was the time. This was when I had to tell Edward, in case anything happened. He might already know, given his power, but I owed it to him to say it. I just didn't know how to make the words come up, so I sat there and stewed, my finger twisting renewed. That is, until he said it.

"I just still wish you'd think you were making a mistake and come back."

I looked up at Edward after he spoke, smiling sadly. The lilt of optimism in his voice was agonising and I pulled my knees up to my chest, half to hide from him and half to keep what warmth I had left in. I knew then that he didn't know about Jake's imprinting from reading someone's mind and that it was up to me to tell him. "That's never going to happen Edward."

He looked down at me from the spot in the ceiling of the tent he was previously staring a hole in. "Are you sure?"

I nodded into my knees.

He swept a hand through his hair. "How do you know?"

Seconds ticked by as I fought to get out the words that would crush this last ounce of hope. As I met his eyes he seemed as though he expected me not to answer. How wrong he was.

"He imprinted on me Edward."

Edward frowned. "Imprinting. I know that word. I've heard it in the minds of the pack. It's not the biology meaning it's..."

"Soul mates," I finished for him.

He laughed cynically. "You bought into that? How do you even know it's true?"

I rested my chin on my knees, not daring to look at him. "I felt it happen. I felt the electricity go through my body and end at him. And, I know it's kind of stupid, but I _dreamed_ of it before it happened. We rose into the sky and exploded like a star. I felt the pull towards him... like gravity."

I could feel Edward's eyes bore into me as I waited for him to speak. Hours seemed to go by before he opened his mouth again. "So that's why your scent changed."

I looked back up at him quizzically. "My scent changed?"

He nodded. "It was subtle. I don't think the others noticed, but I did. It's been getting stronger ever since we got back, but I think they've confused it as it being the scent of the wolves on you."

"Huh." I nodded looking down at my feet. I was glad he seemed to understand, but something was off and I couldn't tell what.

_Uh, babe? His timeline's off._

Ice shot down my back as Jake's voice rang true and I raised my head up to look at Edward. "When did my scent change?"

"It's been different ever since you came to get me in Italy. Sort of lighter and airy."

The cold feeling entered my gut and stayed there. "Edward... Jake didn't imprint on me until last week."

Edward's eyes widened in alarm. "What do you mean he only imprinted last week?"

"He only imprinted last week. Not when you were away. It was at one of our barbecues."

"But, if he only imprinted last week... what happened to make your scent change?"

I felt my mouth run dry as I thought over what possibly could have happened since then. "I.... I don't know?"

"There's nothing?"

I never got to answer his question, as both our heads turned to hear a low rustling come from just outside the tent.

* * *

Jake POV

I ran through the trees in the cross hatch pattern Sam and I discussed, looking for any evidence of a trail. It seemed like we had lost the leeches for the time being, but I didn't know how long it would stay that way. I headed back towards where I knew there'd be fighting to see what was going on. I could hear the fighting, but nothing made sense, especially not the jumbled images I was getting from my brothers. They all seemed to be in the thick of it and it was distracting to see the constant tumble and whirr of fighting, so I tried to ignore them as much as possible. Running down the creek I followed up the path until I came to the same ridge Sam and I stood on, only this time on the other side. As I got to it, I stopped and peered over it to get my bearings.

What I saw was carnage.

The battle had spread out since the Cullen's had joined and it was more terrible than any of the blurred images in my head could have told me. The red headed leech has finally sent her full force at us and the ensuing chaos could only be described as a grade A clusterfuck. I watched as the big Cullen – Emmett – clawed at two newborns at his back while a third rushed him, all the while the emotion controlling one tried to get the two on his back off him while fending off one of his own. The little one was a sight to behold, cleanly tearing though one leech and piking it towards a fire before heading for another one. Then another wave came by and I could barely watch as she retreated as the newborns tore after her, one managing to get a bite in on her shoulder before she threw it off. Seth and Jared were being circled along with the doctor. I would have called you crazy had you told me Carlisle Cullen was would be backed into a corner trying to protect my pack while screaming orders to charge on his command a week ago, but there it was, happening before my very eyes. Fires raged all along the side of the ridge, the screams of newborns being dragged into them echoing through the valley and I was glad we were far from civilization at that point. The path down the ridge itself was littered with still moving bodies that Colin and Brady were working to drag up and into the fire. I was shocked that Sam called them in but there was literally no one left by the sounds of it. I could see Paul rolling through the brush tearing a newborn apart and Embry and Quil were trying to rout five of them away from the top of the ridge. It looked like they would get over until Sam leapt up over the top and came down on one of them.

Then I heard a horrid shriek and looked up to see Blondie tearing off through the middle of the field, Leah behind her.

_It's back. Whatever it is, it's back and it's just......_

Leah gave an anguished groan in my head and the queerest glimpse of Sam telling her that he hated her and she'd always be alone popped into my mind before another one of Blondie's cries brought me back to earth.

"EMMETT! SOMEBODY SAVE EMMETT!" I watched her run right by the big guy not even paying attention to him as she raced through the clearing. It took some concentrating to read those black eyes, but after looking at them for a second I could see the pure terror in them. It was then that I noticed that some of what I thought was smoke down the ridge was fog. It was that thing, the horrible spider thing. I couldn't see it but I knew it was there. I wanted nothing more than to dive in and help my brothers until I remembered where Bella was and that she needed me. Shaking my head I got down to business.

_Sam, what's the report?_

_Not good. We've been holding but... they just keep coming._

I felt Jared jolt as he was thrown off the back of a bloodsucker. _It's that peg-leg thing. It keeps trying to drive them over the ridge. They're just throwing them at us, it's like the newborns are shock troops._

I shook my head in rage._ Do you need me to stay?_

_ No!_ Sam said as he rammed into a leech. _We haven't seen the red head in a few minutes. Get back there and make sure you haven't been followed._

_Oh shit._

I ran back towards the rock shelters praying that the red head wasn't going that way.

* * *

Bella POV

Edward motioned for me to get to the back of the tent by the wall as he stood in front of me. I could see his eyes scanning back and forth from my vantage point and watched, wishing I could hear what he was trying to hear too, so I wouldn't be stuck back here not knowing what was going on.

We stood that way for a moment, every muscle in my body tensed and every angle of Edward's frame enhanced by his stance. Without the sleeping bag wrapped around me any longer I could feel every bit of the cold as it penetrated my body, leaving icy needles in its wake until I wasn't even sure I could move without my limbs breaking.

Finally, after what seemed like a full minute he stopped and his shoulder's sagged.

"It's just Jacob."

As he spoke the tent unzipped and Jake stepped his way back in. My body barely obeyed but I found myself running past Edward to crash into Jacob's arms. I felt him lift me up in his bear hug and I didn't even care that it was crushing me, because it was Jake and he was ok.

"Oh god, Bella, you're so cold! You're practically blue. Are you alright?"

My teeth were chattering, but I nodded. My limbs defrosted and I don't think I've ever found his heat to be quite this delicious before. He felt hotter than ever but I was glad to finally be warm again.

He let me go and put me down again before turning to face Edward.

"It's bad news out there. We lost Victoria. I don't think she followed me here, but we don't know where the hell she is, she disappeared off the field about a half hour ago."

Edward pinched his forehead. "Are you certain? You have no idea where she is?"

"Yeah, I'm certain. Sam lost her while he was trying to fend off the latest rush."

"Latest rush?"

Jake nodded. "Yeah. They're rushing us now. We even had to call the new guys in to help deal with the bodies. I'd try and stay away from there if I were you, too many thoughts running around and most of them bad. That thing I talked about before... it makes people afraid. Makes them see their worst fear I think. Set Blondie in a dead run because she though your tank of a brother was in trouble, but she ran right passed him like she didn't see him. Whatever you do, stay the hell away from the fog."

"What about Ve?"

Jake shook his head. "I didn't even have time to ask once I got to Sam. I haven't heard anything about her."

Edward sighed visibly. "I should get out there. Who knows where Victoria is at this point."

Jake nodded. "Just remember, they're fighting on the West ridge, it's there on the map. And for fucksakes be careful."

Edward sneered back at him. "I'll be fine. You just make sure Bella is ok." Edward moved for the opening and walked out, leaving me alone with Jake.

I turned and got back to my little huddle of sleeping bags. It was all a little too much to handle. Something was terrifying my friends out there and Victoria... her red eyes burned in my mind and I tried to think of anything else to get my mind off them.

Jake sat down beside me and wrapped his arms around me. "I was so worried about you. It's hell out there."

I paled. "How bad is it?"

Jacob's face was stony and he gritted his teeth. "It's like I said, and worse. You can't tell the smoke from that spider thing's fog half the time and it's driving us into a panic. Something's gonna give somewhere. Either Ve's gonna get back, or they're gonna break over the ridge or something." I shuddered at the thought, and Jake gripped me closer. "You're so cold Bella, I'm sorry I left you here with him. If anything he made you colder."

"It's fine. I needed to talk to him anyways." I rested my head on his shoulder as he brushed his fingers across my arm.

"Talk to him? What about?"

"I told him... about us."

Jake snickered. "I would have thought it was kind of obvious."

"I told him about the not so obvious part."

"Oh." He stopped smiling and looked at his hands. "So how'd he take it?"

I was shocked by his calmness. I had expected him to gloat or... act immature in some way or another. Look up at him I realised just how much we was a man, and how much I still considered him a boy. We were... a funny sort of contradiction sometimes, from body temperature to inherent grace.

"He... he took it... well. As well as can be expected anyhow. Thought that you might be tricking me for a moment but he accepted that you weren't when I told him."

Jake nodded. "That's good of him."

Just how mature was he going to get in the next few hours? "Yeah. It is. He did say something strange though."

"Oh? What's that?"

"He said that my scent had changed. He thought it was because of the imprint."

Jake shook his head with a chuckle. "I think he's losing it, your scent's fine. It's probably just the 'wet dog' they say I smell like."

I screwed up my face, confused. "No, he was wrong but not about that. He said it changed ever since we were in Italy. It didn't make any sense."

"It's never changed for me."

I looked up at him. "You couldn't always smell me the same way he can. If it did change, it was sometime between when he left and before you... What if he's right?"

Jake smiled. "If he's right, who's to say he didn't do it? Maybe it's because he left. Maybe it's for a thousand reasons. Is it a problem?"

"I... I don't know."

"Well... what changed after he left?"

"You mean besides the whole dead to the world thing?"

"Well, yes."

_ Now's the time to tell him Bella honey. You can't keep it a secret forever._

He'll think I'm crazy.

_Right, the werewolf is going to think you're crazy because you hear a few voices. I don't think so._

When Jacob had a point, he had a point. I took a deep breath and started. "Well... This is going to sound crazy, I know it, but there was a reason I wanted to do all those... crazy dangerous things before. The bikes, and the cliff diving and stuff."

Jacob gently pulled me down to sit in his lap and I finally stopped the last of my shivering. "I always figured it was sort of a 'learning to live again' thing."

I chuckled darkly. "No. Not at all. When I did those things, I... I could hear his voice."

I felt him stiffen against me. "You... We... I helped you... _what?"_

I cringed, not wanting to face this. "I'm sorry, I am, it's just-"

He cut me off. "You're _sorry?_ You try to kill yourself just to hear his voice and you're _sorry?_ How in the hell can you even think that's good enough?"

I felt a tear slip down my cheek before I even knew I was crying. "I was just... lost." I turned to face him and nearly shuddered at what I saw. His usual chocolate eyes looked back behind a scowl I hoped was usually reserved for vampires right before he killed them. I backed away slightly, allowing him to get up.

He paced back and forth before he started talking again. "I _cannot_ believe you used me to just to hear that bastard's voice. Is that the only reason why you started spending time with me?"

I jumped to my feet. "No! No it's wasn't not after I got to know you?"

"Oh, so it was why you started? How gracious of you."

I hung my head, knowing I couldn't deny that charge, not fully. I had used him, and on some level I deserved this.

He began again. "You know, on some level, I'd always known you were using me, but I just..." He gestured wildly. "I never thought it was that direct. I always hoped it was unintentional. That you didn't fucking mean it, you just couldn't help it. And I sure as fuck thought it was because you needed someone to pull you out of that hole, not to fucking hear..." He squeezed his brow, shutting his eyes and standing still a moment. I got up and put a hand on his shoulder, wanting to do something, anything to stop his pain. He pulled away, facing the tent before speaking again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. Just... go to bed."

"Jake I-"

"Go. To. _Bed."_

Words rose to my throat to protest but after seeing the scowl return I thought the better of it and nodded. I crawled into my sleeping bag and turned over, not realising how tired I was until I laid my head down. With all the walking, it wasn't surprising. Despite the thudding in my chest over Jacob, I found myself drifting to sleep quite easily.

* * *

Jacob POV

I watched her crawl into the bag as I tried to calm myself down. As much as all that didn't matter now, and even though I had her and he didn't, the knowledge that our friendship started not because she needed someone to lean on, but because she wanted to hear that fucker's voice ate me alive. It wasn't until I could hear her breathing steadily and deep that the last of my rage subsided.

I sat guard, knowing that I wouldn't fully calm down until I could get back out there and stop this. But as it was, I wouldn't be getting out there for awhile, since Edward and I were supposed to stay in the tent until early morning, hoping that we could ride out the battle and keep Bella safe that way.

The seconds ticked by as I paid attention to Bella's breathing and heart beat, nearly the only sounds in the tent and struggled to get my breathing and heart rate in line with hers. I almost had to laugh. Of all the people in the world, only Bella could get me this angry and still have me needing to be by her.

It took another few hours for Edward to get back, and by that time I had stilled myself enough to be sitting by the opening when he pulled the zipper down. He stepped, not looking the slightest bit dishevelled and immediately looked to Bella.

"How is she?"

What, no hello? Asshole. I ran my hand through my hair to stop my anger from starting all over again. "She's fine. She's been asleep for hours."

'Well she had a long day." He sat down on the other side of the tent.

'Yep." I shut my eyes, content to fall into silence, but the leech just couldn't leave well alone.

"Is something wrong?

I opened my eyes to glare at him. "You mean besides a hoard of leeches and some fucked up movie monster trying to kill _my_ mate." If I was pissed because of him he could damn well be pissed because of me, and a small part of me smiled when he flinched at my word choice, juvenile as it was. I knew he knew about the imprint, and petty as it was, I was gonna damn well rub it in. I know Bella hated it when I punished him for what she went through, but if anyone deserved punishing, it was that asshole.

He nodded. "Yes, I mean besides that."

Considering how much I wanted to punch something right now, his being too dignified to stoop to my level wasn't helping me any. "None of your goddamn business." I stared at the back of the tent, trying not to pay attention to him.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see him roll his eyes and pick at his sweater. "No need to be rude."

"Look!" I practically shouted and saw him eye Bella protectively. I decided to pull back before he accused me of something and I really lost it. "Just... tell me what's going on out there."

Edward sighed. "Things are starting to pick up. I caught sight of that... thing right before it disappeared."

"It's gone?"

"Well, we don't know where it is anymore. But we haven't seen Victoria either. I doubt they left."

I nodded. "Do you know what that is?"

He shook his head. "No, and neither does Carlisle. I've never seen anything like that before."

"How are we doing?"

"Much better now. Without that smog we've been able to co-ordinate. We should be able to pull through just fine."

"Any casualties?"

"One of your younger ones came across a newborn on his patrol sweep, ended up with a severely twisted ankle before we could get to him. He's fine though."

"Brady or Colin?"

"Brady."

I could feel my expression sour. "I guess he's gotta learn somehow."

"I guess." Blissfully we fell into silence until he opened his mouth once more. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

I shook my head slightly, a chuckle coming out. "You're really a piece of work, you know that?"

"What on earth have I done now?"

"Same thing leeches always do. Ruin lives."

"You know, if she's supposed to be _your_ mate, you spend an awful lot of time worrying about me."

I shot my head up. "You _left."_

"I came back."

"After you shattered her."

"That was never my intention."

"What the fuck do you think telling her that you didn't love her would do? That she would just get over it? I don't give a fuck who you are, you get betrayed like that it fucking tears deep."

He sighed. "I... admit now it was not the best of decisions."

I looked at him incredulously. "Not the best of decisions? Are you some kind of idiot?"

"Well it's not like every decision you've made has been sound."

"No-" Bella stirred, so I lowered my voice. "No, but I never would have left her like that. Even if I thought she were better off without me I would never flat out abandon her. What you've done... what you've caused... it's not forgivable."

He pinched the top of his nose. "She seems to have forgiven me."

I near lost it as a screamed through whispering at him. "Do you know what you did to her?"

"You took great pleasure in showing me as I remember."

"No, not that. You drove her half insane. The whole reason why she bothered to look me up was to do things dangerous enough to have a fucking auditory hallucination of your voice."

I wish I could be glad that his face fell, but I wasn't. "She what?"

"Yeah. That cliff you saw her jump off of? That was for you. To hear _you._ And she nearly drowned in the process. You're fucking lucky I love her too much to gut you right now."

"I... I had no idea."

I shook my head. "Idiot."

"Look, I... I'm-"

"Don't you dare fucking apologise to me. You didn't hurt me. Apologise to her. And it doesn't really matter if you have before, because you don't even know what you did."

He looked down at his sweater again. "I can understand why you hate me."

I sighed. "I don't hate you. Well, I sure as hell do right now, but not all the time. You were nice to her, for a while I guess." What the hell was wrong with me? I just admitted this leech wasn't all that bad.

"So I was saving her for you?"

I shrugged. "I know she told you what happened, so think what you want about it."

"I guess... So this all started before you, you know, the first time you... turned?"

"Phased. And yes, it started before that."

"Maybe that's why here scent changed..."

"Terrible lapses in judgement can cause that?"

"Not... really. It's just odd. I've never experienced that before in my life."

"Well, the same can be said about freaky spidery things."

He nodded slowly. "True enough. It's still odd."

"Look, we have better things to be worrying about right now?"

"Like what? This could be seriously affecting Bella's health. It might be dangerous."

Just then, far closer than it should have been, one of my brothers sounded off in a high pitched howl that dripped of warning. Edward and I both looked at each other in alarm.

"Like that."

A/N: So there, it's finally done. Took me long enough eh? Must admit it's good to be back to writing.

Just reading some of the newer comments (I totally abandoned for awhile... yeah, shit was fucked, what can I say), so I'll answer some more things here.

Only4TeamJacob: No longer a need to roast me! Yay!

Anjelina: Long reviews are love! A note on the clumsiness: I'm trying to make it more realistic without removing it all together. There is one thing Bella and I have in common, and that's utter klutziness. I have fallen over whilst standing still, I shit you not. I have no grace at all. So I tend to disagree when people are like "she can't be _that_ clumsy" because I _am_ that clumsy, but in Bella's case, it seems to me to always just serve as another way to make her a damsel in distress. Ok, she's got fucking vampires after her, she doesn't need another way to be a damsel in distress! She's just a klutz! So the falls are still there, they just aren't overly dramatic and overplayed. I'm not British, I'm Canadian, but Canadian English is kind of in between American English and British English. Our spelling tends to be more British, and our sentence structure leaning a bit more towards American. I just kind of spell things the way I was taught. As for some of your other comments, I can't really address them without giving things away, besides the fact that we seem to be in some agreement on just how much of a creeper ol' Eddie is. I'm trying to be nicer, really I am. As for the dresser bit, already having plans for an outside Bella's window confrontation, I kind of glanced over that part. I figure not every opportunity for conflict must be taken.

For the two newer readers who commented on every chapter: Thanks so much.

Oh right, music. Um, Birthday Massacre, that is all.

Right, well I love reading your review and I've missed you guys! Group hug and press that button down there.


	11. Freeze, Thaw, and Boil

A/N PS: Sorry if this gets bumped up to the top. I've edited every chapter and am reposting them. Just little things, mostly spelling mistakes I missed a few minor continuity errors. The only chapters worth re-reading are five, six and this one, and that's just barely as the changes are really minor, it's just that those chapters had the most changes. New chapter is in the works though. No, I don't have a timeline, but I'm a couple thousand words in.

A/N: Well, we're coming down the home stretches here. Least towards the end of this story. There is probably around five chapters left before the end of this story and the beginning of the next. And I totally didn't expect to reach 100 000 words by Chapter 10. Didn't expect around 330 reviews either. I guess we're about to see who's paying attention huh? I'm a sneaky bastard aren't I?

EarlyLearningCentre: I think you're kind of missing the point behind Ve. I mean, I'm frankly surprised so many people like her. Sure, her character is enjoyable, but, to be honest, she's an utter bigot. A sympathetic one, but still a bigot. One of the reasons why I made her so powerful is the fact that it's counter balanced by a serious character flaw: unending hatred. Not that her hatred is unreasonable.

I think it's unfair to say she's never considered them people, or that it's unjustified. The woman watched some of her children be slaughtered by them, she's seen countless acts of carnage carried out by them, and she's fought against them for a thousand years. That is going to condition anyone. Maybe she did consider them people once, but a thousand years of war against them has changed that completely. I don't know if anyone has noticed, but she only warms up to the Cullens slightly when she sees them do something which she considers to be utterly human: Rosalie caring for Emmett. Otherwise, they are just another enemy. She doesn't see them as people because she doesn't _get_ see them as people. She only gets to see them at their worse. Speaking of the Nazis, what would be your impression of Germans if the only type of Germans you were exposed to were the most heinous of Nazis? Probably not a good one. That's what Ve is exposed to. She doesn't get to see good vampires. She gets to see the child killers, the mass murderers, the apathetic old ones who've lost every shred of anything that can be considered redeemable.

The "I can kill you at anytime" bit had a specific purpose: Putting the fear of God into the Cullens. The whole point of the meeting was to make it blatantly clear that she was going to do anything it took to get to the Volturi, consequence be damned. It was also supposed to make people hate her a little, but on the whole that seems to not worked so well *sweatdrop*. As for shapeshifters doing no wrong, that's blatantly not true. She's fought wars against them too, and I recall having her say that some people of all types deserve punishments such as death at one point.

To conclude, part of her is to provide contrast to the ridiculous mistrust of werewolves the Cullens have. Sure, I get it, werewolves are dangerous, but so are vampires, so they need to get over themselves. Kind of in the same way Ve needs to get over herself. However, I think the reason why others like her so much is because while I made her an anti-vampire hate monger, I gave a damned reason as to _why_ she hates them. For the Cullens, werewolves are bad well… just because. Yes there is a back story of werewolves being the enemy of vampires and the bullshit danger reason, but that's not as blatantly obvious as Ve saying she saw the mutilated body of her son and ever since she's been ripping her way through vampires looking for retribution that's never come. Going into anything much more would be giving away plot points, but I can say this: her reasons for hating them with such a passion will become far more apparent later, when more of her family is revealed. And it's really not going to be pretty, for either side, as the lows that both vampire and shapeshifter can reach are going to be examined. After all, I am kind of employing something akin to Alan Moore "shades of grey" morality with her. Which isn't to say I'm anywhere near as talented to him, just that he's the king of making protagonists that do morally objectionable things. And no, Ve is not meant to be a reference to V, for one she's something of an antithesis to anarchy, and while they may have a similarity or two, they're few a far between. Her name, like she says is the story, is a shortening of an old Norse women's name Alve.

One more reminder that one of the purposes of this story is to take elements of the Twilight saga I didn't like and instead of throwing them out, flipping them on their ears and seeing if I can't do something with them. Like imprinting, or… Naw, not gonna tell you that part! *winks* There's probably a part coming up that's gonna make a lot of people go "You fucking suck Stigmata!" but, you know, trust me. For those of you on the edge of your seats, invest in pillows.

And no, I haven't seen New Moon yet. Heresy, I know.

I know, I know, shut up and get to the story.

Anyways

Bella POV

I found myself being shaken awake by a warm hand. My joints creaked from the cold as I sat up slow. Even Jake's plentiful ambient heat wasn't enough to keep me completely warm. I blinked a few times and looked up to so Jake standing above me.

"Come on Bella."

"Jake…?" I said, blinking out of tiredness.

"That's it Bells, come on. You've got to get up.

Still disoriented, I said the first thing I had wanted to say since I went to sleep. "Jake I'm sorry."

He spoke in unusually hushed tones. "It's fine Bella"

"No, really, I-"

"Bella, it's really ok, we don't have time for this. Come on, you've got to get up." His hands reached out and hoisted me up onto my feet. He cradled my face in his hands, gently kissing my bottom lip, still trying to get me coherent. "Come on Bella honey, we've got problems, you have to get up right now."

"Pr..problems? What problems? What happened?"

"We heard a howl near the tent, and we need to check it out." I looked over as Edward handed me my shoes.

"Is everyone ok?"

Jake pulled away from me, heading towards the opening of the tent, undoing his pants as we went. "We don't know yet. I'm going to go find out. Edward, get her ready so we can move. Just leave everything here, we'll come back for it." Edward nodded, helping me with my coat.

I tugged my shoes on as Jake left the tent. "Do you think everyone's ok?"

"I hope so. That howl did not sound good."

I was half way through the laces of the other shoe when I was jolted fully awake by a loud bark followed by a howl from right outside. I looked over to see Edward tense.

"Oh God, Bella get your shoe on now, we're leaving."

"Edward? What's he saying?"

Edward rushed back to me and pushed my hands away, doing up my shoe faster than I ever could before helping me up again. "On my back. Now! He's thinking too many things for me to get straight, but whoever sent that warning meant that Victoria's headed this way and the thing's not far behind."

I felt the blood drain from my face. "It didn't work. The plan didn't work."

"Bella, _now!"_

I shook my head, regaining my senses, and climbed on Edward, who rushed out the opening of the tent so fast I wasn't sure if he unzipped it or not. It was pitch black outside. I looked up through a hole in the trees to see that the sky itself was a deep dark navy, the colour the sky got when the sun was just about to peak over the horizon, but with the tree cover we wouldn't be getting any of that light for hours. We ran through the trees in a frantic pattern, Edward taking direction from Jacob, who was a little to our left. I had no idea which way we were going, and that frightened me.

"What's going on?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"Seth Clearwater," Edward answered. "He's the one who sent the warning. He had managed to find her scent veering off from the main battle and when he figured out where she was going…." He trailed off into nothingness as he continued to run.

"Where are we going?"

"We... we don't know. It's still not safe where the others are yet, so we're heading deeper into the forest now. He's hoping we'll be able to lose them till morning."

"And Seth?"

"He's following us, we can't stop and wait for him to catch up."

I gripped Edward tighter. We zigzagged through the trees, jumping down a small cliff at one point, running up a stream at another. I shivered as the water splashed up at me, holding on for dear life. Jake's movements were erratic, always staying slightly ahead of us, making wide sweeps to check the areas we were heading into. Half the times it felt like he was circling us.

It was a few minutes before Edward spotted him again. He lurched left in his effort to follow him, and I got pulled along. I was beginning to get light headed from the speed when Edward's suddenly stopped.

"Edward?! What's wrong?" I watched Jake plow head in front of us.

"Something's wrong…"

"Something?"

"I can't smell him even though he's right ahead me. Something is very wrong… something is- JACOB! LOOK OUT!"

My vision blurred again as I went from a complete stop to Edward's full speed again as he ran after Jake. "What is it?!" I shouted through the thundering wind ripping past my ears.

"He's running right at it!"

"JAKE!" I screamed and he finally turned around to look up at the trees for me. Our eyes connected only for a moment before fire came out of the trees and bowled him over. I heard a feral scream and realised it wasn't fire. It was Victoria. They struggled, a knot of fire red and deep russet until Jake was finally able to pull away from her, howling. She hissed back at him, red eyes flashing.

"Edward! Help him!"

"He can manage for now. Seth will come. I've got to get you out of here. There could be more, I couldn't even smell her. My senses… they start to fade as I go this way."

"You're not going anywhere."

Edward and I whirled around to see where the voice came from. Hanging onto a tree across from us was a man. More a boy really. He was my age or younger, that's for sure, despite his tall, bulky build, pale and shining against the sparse moonlight that broke through the trees. His blond hair only added to the sheen that radiated off him and I might have admired it if not for the fierce eyes, a red more vivid than I have ever seen, staring back at us, flicking nervously between Edward and me. My stomach sunk to my knees and went ice cold.

_"Get out of my way."_ Edward said, his jaw straining with the tenseness of every word.

The boy laughed. "I don't think so."

"You don't have to do this. She doesn't own you."

"Who says I don't want to do this?"

"You wouldn't have a few days ago. Think about yourself. Remember. You're not this animal. She doesn't own you, _it_ doesn't own you. Now let me by."

The boy swallowed, Edward's words sparking something in him, causing the flicking between us with his eyes to quicken. "You can't intimidate me that easily."

"I'm not trying to, you stupid fool. Now get out of my way! I don't want to hurt you, but I will!" Edward's voice was raising and getting dangerously tight and I gripped onto his shoulders harder.

"Y-you won't get by me… I'm the best of the bunch, she said so h-herself." The boy's eyes were fixed on Edward, unable to look at me anymore, and I no longer tell if it was Edward's words or the desire to eat me that was making him nervous.

"You may be the best of the bunch newborn, but you aren't going to beat me. Now stand down."

He laughed, his voice shrill from his excitement. "I've already beaten you." He pointed at me. "I stole her stuff. Got into her room without any of you stopping me. Y-you aren't going to be able to stop me now either."

Edward growled at him and the boy suddenly looked frightened again, his self-pep talk not working.

Just then a voice came from behind me that stole the last bit of warmth from me. _"Riley! Stop yapping and get the girl!"_ Victoria's command seemed to do the trick, as the boy – Riley – gritted his teeth and prepared to leap at us. I could feel Edward tensing beneath me and realised he planned to meet him mid-air rather than have him smash into us. I gripped on to his shoulders and braced myself as they both leapt into the air, growling.

What happened next was a blur. Before Riley and Edward connected a streak of sand yellow shot up at us from below, pouncing on Riley and knocking Edward back. My mind registered that the streak was Seth, finally come to help us, milliseconds before it realised that I was no long holding anything.

And I was falling.

My hands gripped for purchase at snapping twigs. The air rushed from my body in something that couldn't quite be considered a scream as I looked up at the nearly full lit sky.

_Twilight_, I thought before pain exploded in my left side and everything went dark again.

* * *

Jacob POV

_I'm here!_

I glanced away from the leech bitch for a second to see Seth pinning the vamp from the tree. I chuckled in congratulations until I heard the shriek and thud from beside him.

_What was that?_

_Oh shit…_ I heard him gulp in his mind and attempt to try and stop the thought from coming through, but I heard it loud and clear. _Bella._

_ Seth you fucking son of a bitch, WHAT DID YOU DO?_

"Not now Jacob." Edward hissed at me, already at her side. "She's breathing. She's fine. If you stop focusing now she might not be that way in a few minutes."

Damn if the fucker didn't have a point. _Still, we're keeping us between them and her._

"I couldn't agree more."

_You two focus on the runt, I've got the bitch for now._

"Are you sure about that?"

_Do I fucking look unsure?_

_ Guys! A little help here!_

I looked back to see the blonde leech throw Seth of him and charge back up into the trees.

"Your argument is very persuasive Seth," said Edward as he leapt after him.

I turned back just in time for Victoria to slam into my side. "So the doggies want to play, do they?"

_Yeah, we wanna play bitch._ I twisted around and managed to grab her arm before we landed. _Let's see if you like how we play._ Even though she couldn't hear me, I think she got the mental 'fuck you' I was sending as I flipped her over me and into a tree. The damn thing cracked as she hit it, falling behind her. I had to smirk as I watched Eddie and that blonde kid fly through the air, as I had somehow managed to hit the exact tree they were currently scratching each other in.

_Stop smiling you ass, that tree almost hit Bella._

Well, fuck. _Just go help him Seth._

_ I'm going, I'm going. Sheesh._

I could beat myself up about that later. In the meantime, I had other things to worry about. Namely the cold dead bitch that had gotten back up and had launched herself at my back.

_Fucking whore! _She was tough, I'll give her that, and angry to boot. I hissed as best I could in the form I was in as her nails dug into both my sides and dragged me down to my left. I shook twice trying to get her off before rolling with her still on me. Finding a nice rock to pound her into I slammed my back into the ground until she let go. That was gonna hurt in a few hours.

_Seth, Edward, just kill that thing and get over here and help me!_

_ He's strong Jake! I mean really damn strong!_

"Seth! Your left!"

I looked back to see Seth leap out of the way just in time as the boy struck the ground where he used to be, leaving an indent in the dirt. That split second was all Victoria needed to get up again and my lack of attention was rewarded with a vicious punch to the ear. My head snapped back and I saw red.

_Alright fucker, you got my attention. I'm mad now._

I leapt back to get a moment so my vision could stop blurring and felt a growl deep in my throat. The red headed bitch has the gall to sneer at me as we faced off.

"What's the matter boy? Losing your nerve?" I bit a growl back as she laughed. "You're too concerned with that _pathetic. Little. Human _to concentrate on what you need to do. Sad, really."

Bitch I would fucking eat you if I didn't know if how disgusting that was.

Hopefully I would be a little less distracted when Seth and Vamp-Boy Wonder put down the problem they were currently dealing with. Victoria wasn't going to let up anytime soon. She had finished talking and made a pass to get around me again. I shot towards her as fast as I could, my muzzle connecting with her stomach and sending her flying back again. She screeched and got up again. As much as I wanted to say I could handle her myself, she was proving to be more of a challenge than any of the newborns and with nothing distracting her, she had me at a disadvantage.

From behind me I heard the struggle continue, a body, hopefully that blonde thing's, hitting off a tree and thudding to the ground, but the growling and snarling didn't stop. I could only hope that they killed that thing soon.

* * *

Bella POV

_Wake up._

My eyelids fluttered at the sound of Jake's voice, but I didn't want to move just yet. My left leg was… cramped maybe? Did I sleep on it funny?

_Wake up._

And it was cold. Why was it cold? Why on earth would I sleep in the cold?

_Wake up! Bella, you have to wake up right now!_

My eyes shot open as I realised that the voice was coming from inside my head instead of outside of it. Never having been my alarm clock before, I thought I had better listen to the Jacob-conscience no matter how much my leg hurt.

I quickly took in my surroundings to realise I was flat on my back in a pile of underbrush, next to a downed tree that I was sure was not there before, despite not quite remember how I got here. The nearby scuffle brought me back to the present and I realised my leg hurt not because I had slept on it, but because I had landed on it.

I seemed to be safe behind the enormous log for the moment, so I hesitantly moved my ankle in a full circle. I hissed as pain shot up my leg, but I was able to do it. Right, not broken, maybe sprained. Now to see if I could put weight on it. Gripping onto the tree for leverage, I hoisted myself up. I cried out, softly as I could manage, as I put my leg down, but I stayed up. _First one's always the worst,_ I told myself. I took a few steps using the tree as balance I found I only hobbled slightly, even if it still hurt. "Well at least there's that," I said quietly.

Finally I looked past the tree to see what was going on. The first thing I saw was Edward leaping down towards something several yards from where I was. It was sheer luck that I had landed far enough from the fight so as to not get myself killed. I caught sight of Seth getting a hold of that other vampire's arm. Riley, his name was Riley.

That was right. We were running from the campsite when we stopped by the blonde – Riley – and Victoria. I couldn't see her yet, but as I watched Seth yanked on his arm and tried to pull him down, while Edward landed on his back, trying to grip around his neck. That's two, where was Jake?

Keeping the tree between myself and them, and using it to lean on, I made my way towards the stump of the tree, still in the ground with a great splintering break in the trunk. That confirmed my feeling that the tree hadn't been here before. Reaching it I looked around to see if I could get a better view of where Jake was.

I searched frantically around me, finally spotting him a good distance from Edward and Seth. I was only able to look at him for a moment before he was bowled over by Victoria, trying to head in my direction. Looking back to Seth and Edward, they were still busy, so moved around the trunk and towards Jake.

_Bella, don't be stupid._

"Jake needs me."

_Bella, I'm trying to keep her from getting to you, why would I want you to get closer?_

"You're only in my head, what would you know?"

_Apparently a lot more than you, since I'm trying to keep us from dying!_

"He needs me."

_What the hell are we going to do?_

"Something."

The voice in my head sighed as I stopped behind a tree, resting my bad leg. Now that I was certain that I had to do something, what was something? I certainly couldn't fight her off with him.

Peering around it, I watched Jake lunge at Victoria this time, landing on her and attempting to bite at her face before he was thrown off again. I limped to the other side of the tree to see if Seth or Edward were coming yet. Nothing.

"Dammit. Think Bella, think." He needs something… something. My head throbbed nothing forming but the beginnings of a headache. I needed to think, and fast, before I got too cold and sore to do anything. I couldn't fight her, not even from a distance, so the most I can do…

"A distraction," I murmured, looking back to see Jake get tossed into a tree, the trunk cracking, but not falling, that tree more solid that the dying one that had landed next to me.

Ok. A distraction. But what? I couldn't exactly throw a stick at her from here, and it's a miracle she hasn't noticed me yet. What the hell would work?

I rubbed my temples, searching for something told to me in the last few days that would work. Most of the advice from Ve was useless, because she'd simply charge Victoria and rip her head off. Dad would have shot into the air, but I didn't have the benefit of a gun. So what weapons did I have?

Thinking back to what I knew of vampires, little beyond blood would distract them… wait a minute.

_Bella, no._

"Well if it worked for the Third Wife."

_Yeah, it worked real good, except for the part where she __**died.**_

"Pessimism is not an option right now." I looked around for something that would cut, but, providing I did survive, using a broken branch as a knife wasn't going to be easy to repair. In desperation I searched my pockets, until I found my keys inside my coat. Inspecting the largest one, it was jagged, but it would have to do. Mentally reminding myself to invest in a Swiss Army knife after this, I gripped it hard in my right hand, bringing it down to the palm of my left, taking in a deep breath to steady myself.

Before I could make the cut, fog started to billow out around me

"What in the–"

If I thought I was cold before, I would have called myself a liar now. The fog seemed to sink into my skin, stripping every degree of detectable heat from my body until I felt like a husk of flesh wrapped over solid ice. The pending headache was replaced with a slight throbbing, as if I was dizzy or maybe drunk, and the fog completely enclosed me, shortening my range of vision to around three feet in front of me. But I thought I could make out the barest of shapes ahead of me, so I hobbled for it.

Coming closer it was a person. Thinking better than to call out, I tried to make my hobbling slightly more quiet, since I remember Jacob telling us that the fog had something to do with that spider monster. But as I got closer the person turned into Jacob's shoulders, lunging out of the way of... something. I couldn't make that out yet, and I didn't know if I wanted to get closer to see if it was Victoria.

As it happened, I didn't have to get closer, as the thing barrelled past him before turning to strike him again.

Edward.

Eyes blood red and mouth snarling it was Edward, ripping at him from behind. This time he connected, his hand going straight through Jake's chest and I watched in horror as he toppled.

"JACOB!" I ran towards him but it was too late, you could already tell as the ground went ruddy with blood around him. It pooled out from his stomach as he coughed out my name before falling silent, talking on an unnatural paleness that Jake should never be. I sank to my knees, beside him, looking up at Edward. "Why? Edward, why? Why would you ever..."

I couldn't finish it. Couldn't say the words kill, murder or death. Couldn't even touch Jake's body for fear of the cold being there instead of the warm I was so accustomed to. I shut my eyes tightly and opened them again, hoping that I wouldn't be staring at the body of the boy... man I had come to love anymore, and praying that I would be seeing Edward, who I had still loved up until this point, standing over him as his assailant. I looked up at him for answers and he didn't even seem to notice me, still looking down on Jacob's body with pure hatred, and red sunk into the edges of my vision.

"WHY?" I screamed, my horror turning to anger. "Why would you do this to me?!" I felt my face get hot and wet from fresh tears, the only source of heat I had left. I found myself getting up, ignoring the pain in my foot to run at Edward.

"WHY?" I howled as my fist flew to connect with his face.

Or it would have, if it didn't go right through him.

My momentum sent me reeling past him, landing on my face when I lost the fight to keep my balance. Hissing with pain I rolled over to see that I hadn't imagined it and Edward was still standing where he was before. I pushed at the ground with my hands and slowly got myself up again, finding my ankle to be only slightly tenderer. Limping over I reached a hand towards Edward – and again it went right through him. He remained where he was, growling down at Jacob, not noticing my hand go right through his shoulder. I stared at him incredulously for a moment before returning to Jake. He lay there, as still and as... dead as he was moments before. My right hand twitched as I sucked in a breath, reading myself for what I was about to do next. I reached down to touch him, preparing to wince at his clammy cold skin.

And watched as my hand went right through him until it touched the ground.

"It's fake," I murmured, almost laughing with the hysterical feeling that rushed through me. "It's a fake, Jake's not dead.... Jake's not dead!" I looked around to see the fog starting to dissipate, and the images of Jake and Edward disappear.

_It's not over yet Bella._

What?

_Where's there's smoke, there's fire._

Perfect time to be cryptic. I looked around, trying to regain my surroundings to find myself not far from the felled tree, but on the wrong side of it. I pulled myself towards it, trying to stand again, my body not liking the constant moving.

_No Bella, not that way!_

As hard as it was to ignore a voice inside your own head I did, crawling my way to the tree again, stopping only feet from it. A clicking sound, somewhere between the button on a stop watch and that ubiquitous beetle clacking from movies came from over the log, but the noise was so foreign that I couldn't tell how far away it is. I placed a hand on it to help myself up, and as I did something punctured the wood beside it.

I came face to face with the most horrifying thing I had ever seen. No vampire, werewolf, or fog induced hallucination could compare to this. Its mottled skin stretched over its features in a sunken, sucked back as if it were dead. Skin-glove fingers flapped beside its gleaming pointed limbs, which looked like they had ripped out from its wrists, causing infection and blisters around the ensuing wound, and a viscous black liquid poured down its limbs from the opening of the skin, causing the black metallic spikes to gleam. The smell was over whelming, like old blood and dirty metal and I would have retched if I had time to. Sneering down at me, it lunged again. I screamed and pushed back from the log, crawling backwards away from it as fast as I could manage, one of its metal looking points stabbing into the ground where I had just been.

It stopped a moment, smelling the air. "Finally... prey." Its voice was entirely alien, both low pitched but with a quality like metal grating against metal to it, and it echoed as though there was a pipe in his throat. It was almost like his (for from his lack of breasts I thought it was a he, even though his lower anatomy was entirely smooth) entire insides were made from metal. His lips twisted into a smile that was too big for his face and somewhere in the back of my head the trigger to my motor functions went off and I pulled myself away from it as its spike came down inches from my face.

I rolled, the breath rushing out of me, so I could crawl frontwards again, trying desperately to get up, rolling to my side when I saw one of his arms flash to my right, scrambling for footing. Finally managing to get up I ran for it, not caring if my ankle hurt or Victoria was ahead of me, or which way I was going really. I couldn't tell you why but I could _feel _where it was, if it was trying to head me off from the right or the left, when it got close and when it was keeping back, trying to predict which way I was going. I zigzagged as best I could with a bad leg, dodging behind trees, trying to head into thicker looking to forest to see if I could lose it, not knowing how much it relied on its eyes compared to its sense of smell.

As I got thicker into the forest I seemed to lose him. This was as good a time as any to check out my scent theory so I looked around to find large log stuck into the ground half way, and found a spot where I could fit into it. Trying not to think about how many bugs must have been in there I crawled in and settled back, so it couldn't see me.

Now all I could do is wait.

I felt my heart pounding in my chest as silence went on and on and I wondered if it had went back to find the others. Before I could crawl back out again, I finally heard a rustle. It was the thing, I was sure of it, four wet rustles like a stick being jammed into the earth and every so often a wheeze like air going through a pipe. Finally it spoke.

"Hiding? You are better than this, _prey._ Come out and face me."

I held my breath as I heard the voice come from just outside the log.

"You are just prolonging the inevitable..."

I swallowed, trying desperately to stop shaking.

"I know you're there!"

As the thing shouted I squeaked, and clapped a hand over my mouth, and then I realised that I had discounted sound. I had been quiet but had it heard me? I shut my eyes hoping that it didn't, but opened them again, realising that shutting them wouldn't help me. Outside had gone quiet but I refused to give up. I waited listening for a sound.

Suddenly its face appeared in the far end of the opening of the log. I screamed and began scrambling. One of its limbs darted towards me and I threw myself out the hole in the side of the log. The limb came down, scratching down my left arm and causing me to bit my lip in pain as the cut felt like it was searing. I got out just as the thing began lifting the log up with a horrible wail. I took off running again, looking back in time to see it rip the log apart and start running after me again. I didn't know which way I came from or which way to go, but anything was better than there.

My heart sunk to my knees and I spat out a curse as I saw the log from earlier ahead of me, signalling that I somehow had ran in a circle, but headed for it anyways, hoping I could run around the trunk to by myself some time. Time to do what though?

I barely noticed the bang that sounded behind me as I rounded the trunk, but I heard the thing screech and hoped one of the Pack or the Cullens had found me. I didn't have time to look and see who it was because something grabbed my arm and yanked me down behind the other side of the log. My vision spun as I went down and the first thing that I saw was a shot of red hair.

_Victoria._ The name screamed through my head and I began kicking with my good foot, desperate to get away. Another scream left my throat as I struggled, to little avail, the hands holding me too strong.

"Little sister, stop this at once!"

I turned, finally able to see her face and when I saw blue eyes instead of red I gasped with relief.

"Ve!"

"Yes yes, it's me, but there's no time for that. Here."

She was backed against the tree, peaking over once to see what was going on before popping back down again. I put my back to the tree as she did and she tossed something in my direction, long and shiny amongst the leaves on the ground, black on metal. I picked it up to find out some sort of gun.

"Ve? What?" I found myself panting, not able to finish my thought.

"That," she said grinning, with a gleam in her eye, "is a Stainless Ithaca 37 Defense." I gave her a blank look and she shook her head slightly. "It's a pump action shotgun." She held another one in her hand.

"Why on earth are you giving me a gun?! And why the hell do you need one?!"

She flicked it head in the direction of the log. "For that thing. Look."

She turned to peer over the log and I followed suit. On the other side of it the... thing was twitching and screeching on the ground clutching at its head.

I looked at her incredulously. _"Bullets_ stop that thing?"

She rolled her eyes at me and motioned for me to get back behind the log. "Not bullets little sister, shot. We're firing shot at it."

_"We_ aren't doing anything. I can't use a gun"

"That's why I picked up a pump action, it's suitable for novices. Your shoulder will hurt something fierce tomorrow, but it's better than the alternative, no?"

I rubbed my temple. "Let's pretend for a second I agree to this. Why am I shooting it?"

"You've seen what it can do, yes?"

"Create those... images, yes. What is that thing anyways?"

"It doesn't really have a name. We always called them Dream Reavers. They see into your dreams and pick out the worse parts." Her eyes widened as she spoke the last part.

"Lovely."

"But I meant the spikes. You've seen those?"

"All too close."

She nodded. "It's a very dangerous creature, comprised of a sort of... organic metal skeleton. Quite lethal. This Victoria was stupid for allying with it. She couldn't predict what it was going to do, especially after their... agreement was up."

"What... what does it do?"

She gave me a creepy sort of smile. "It feeds on fear. Any fear will do, but fear with otherworldly resonance to it is preferable. So it tends to hunt supernatural beings or those who practice supernatural arts. Once fear permeates its intended target's being, it eats them."

My head may be throbbing, but something wasn't adding up. "Then why did it call me prey?"

Her smile got bigger. "Good question. I'm afraid we don't have time for that right now though. Now, its skeleton makes it impervious to most damage, so I can't destroy it."

I was gobsmacked. "You can't kill it, but a _gun_ will?"

She looked at me as though I suddenly gained a third eye. "No. A gun won't hurt it. But the sound will. You saw how it was on the ground, it has very sensitive hearing. We can't kill it, but we can incapacitate it. I know someone who can kill it though, so we're going to herd it to the tree line where I have Rennie waiting in a field. He was kind enough to come back with me from Seattle, and the only person I know strong enough to restrain it until he can get it back to Tobias."

"And Tobias can kill it?"

She grinned again. "He surely can. I think you would like Tobias, but that meeting will have to wait. Now," she put my hands in position on the gun, and brought it up so the butt of the gun was set against my shoulder. "Use your shoulder to steady it. Take your time, aim isn't important, firing it near its head is. You don't have to hit it, you just have to herd it. Do you know what pump action means?"

"Not really."

She placed my left hand on the bottom of the gun, on a sort of ridged sliding piece, and curled my other hand around the trigger. "You squeeze the trigger, and then pump the grip. That releases the empty shell out the bottom and reloads the mechanism. Each shot is squeeze, then pump. And that's squeeze, not pull. You'll hurt yourself even worse if you try to pull It's an 8-shot, so you get eight fires before you have to reload." She took to from me and pulled back the grip, turning it so I could see where the shells went it. She slid out a shell as she explained the next part. "You reload it this way, coloured end in first, and keep going until you've put in eight, and then pump the grip to load it." She reloaded the gun and handed it back to me. "You're firing shot, which means it's going to spread, so again, don't worry about missing, just keep the butt tucked in your shoulder, aim by looking down the barrel and try to get it close. Try not to hit me though."

I gulped and felt myself pale. She put a hand on my shoulder.

"If you're really nervous, just fire into the air. We want noise, not accuracy. Here." She put a bag over my shoulders. "There's your extra shells. Remember, eight at a time. Sorry, I didn't bring ear protection." She loaded and cocked her own shot gun. "Ready?"

"What about Jacob, Seth and Edward? They were just here? What about Victoria?"

Ve pointed out in front of us. I strained my neck to see past a tree, but there was Seth, plus Sam and Paul tearing apart what used to be Riley, and just beyond that Jake and Edward were tearing off after Victoria. "They appear to be doing quite well. Now, ready?"

I nodded, not quite believing myself.

"On the count of three, you're going to stand up, point the gun at the creature, and fire. One... two... three!"

I got up with only a slight fumble for once, and looked over the log to see the thing was just starting to come to its senses. Ve had got him good, little bits of metal were imbedded in the left side of its body. Settled the butt into my shoulder like she had shown me and took a deep breath as I squeezed the trigger.

That turned out to be an immense mistake.

The gun exploded to life, deafening me for a second as the recoil sent the gun firing back into my shoulder, knocking the wind out of me. I was barely able to keep a hold of it. My aim had veered off to one side with the force, and I stumbled back, trying to gain back my balance. One thing was sure, I was _really_ bad at firing a shotgun.

But Ve had managed to aim true and the thing went sprawling, running away from us towards the direction Ve was talking about. She helped me over the log before leaping over it herself, and motioned to me to hurry. "We can't lose it, it'll go off to hide somewhere."

I followed after her as best I could, slowed by my leg. She ran off to the left, shooting at it again to keep it on course I followed closely, raising the gun again when the thing appeared back in front of me and squeezing off another round. Pain flared in my shoulder, the sound thudding in my brain again, and most of my shot imbedded itself in a tree but it seemed to have some effect as the thing started to scurry straight again. We continued on and I managed to fire off one more shot, still hissing in pain and mostly missing, before it got angry and lunged back at Ve.

"Run!" she yelled and I listened, hobbling off a ways and hiding behind a tree with a thick base. I heard Ve's gun go off twice more before it became eerily silent again.

My eyes slid back and forth almost involuntarily, looking over my surroundings for where he could be coming from. I listened as best I could and could hear rustling, but couldn't tell how near or far it was and or who it was. The only other sound was my heartbeat in my ears and my breathing as I tried desperately to stop panting.

Suddenly that feeling, in the pit of my stomach, happened again, telling me he was nearby and after me again. I mentally fought with what to do.

"Left or right," I whispered to myself, trying to figure out which way to go so it didn't run around the tree and grab me. "Left or right?!" I bit my lip hard "Fuck it, right." I pulled the gun level to my shoulder again and swung around.

I was greeted with its snarling face coming towards me and yelped, but by some miracle managed to keep hold of the gun, looking down the barrel and aiming at it once again.

The gun slammed into my shoulder and went too high this time, slamming the back of my hand into my eye socket and causing me to fall backwards. I looked up through the pain to see that I had still caused it to reel back, covering it's ears from the noise, giving Ve enough time to run around and shoot it near point blank in the side of the head. The thing screeched and fell sideways, looking almost pitiful now as it desperately tried to crawl away from us. Ve didn't let up, following right after it and firing right at its head every few feet or so, directing it towards the tree line. I followed behind her and she handed me her gun when it was empty, motioning for me. "Reload this one."

I decided it best to stand still while fumbling with the shotgun shells, eventually getting 8 in and hobbling after Ve, who was moving at a slow pace due to having to move that creature along.

Several shots later we had finally made it to the tree line, and I winced as it shrieked and twisted in pain, pulling itself past the treeline. Ve whistled beside me and a felt something thudding along in front of us. My jaw dropped as I looked up.

It was a bear. A _mammoth_ bear. If Jake was the size of a car, this was literally the size of Jake's garage, lumbering towards us from behind a great swell of greenery in the middle of the field. Its fur was a shaggy black, turning brown around its muzzle and its gait made the ground shake.

_"That's_ Rennie?

She grinned at me. "That's Rennie. Jean Francois Renault, Great Bear himself." She looked down and fired one more shot at the Dream Reaver, kicking it towards Rennie. The bear got up on its hind legs and roared at us, causing the thing to spasm.

"Rennie, stop showing off and get this thing to Tobias, before it starts getting mean again."

The bear – Rennie – made a mournful sort of moan before picking the thing up in his jaws and barrelling across the field with it.

"I really don't envy him tasting that."

"Neither do I. Would you mind carrying my clothes little sister? You look like you could do with not having to walk back."

I nodded in thanks, as no idea in the world currently sounded as good as not having to walk.

* * *

Jacob POV

I shook my head, growling at the scene before me. One minute I was scrambling trying to keep a hold on Victoria, the next I was surrounded by fucking fog, only to find...

This. Which isn't real. Isn't fucking real. Can't happen, no way, I refuse to fucking believe this shit. This must be what the guys were screaming about, and thus is not real, goddammit!

I turned when I heard some when approach me from the left. Edward. I growled but managed to keep my composure. He looked almost paler than normal, and was doing that annoying brow pinch thing he always did. He looked at me in a state of disbelief.

"I just watched you kill Bella."

Giving what I guess you could call an annoyed whine, I pointed with my head over my shoulder to the scene in front of me. There was Edward's doppelganger, currently ripping out Bella's innards and stuffing them into his face.

Real-Edward looked like he was going to retch. "Is that how you see me?"

I snorted at him. _How was I killing Bella?_

He looked at me a moment before saying "Fair enough. In my defense, I didn't think it was actually–"

_Me either, retard._

"Right. So how do we stop this?"

_I don't fucking know. You're the hundred year old vampire._

"You _were_ trained by a thousand year werewolf." Patronising idiot. He looked at me as if he had heard that, which I knew he did, but didn't really care anyways.

I shook my head, trying to get some of the condensed fog off. _She didn't exactly cover fog induced hallucinations._

"Neither did Carlisle." We found ourselves staring at the stupid, and might I add very NOT REAL scene in front of us before Edward's demeanour finally cracked. "Oh for the love of... I am tired of watching this!" He walked forward, trying to grab the shoulder of... well, himself, to throw him off the fake Bella, but his hand went right through. As he was righting himself, the fog began to clear and fake Edward disappeared. "Oh... I guess that's how."

_Yeah._

"Well... I'm sorry about... you know, seeing you and–"

_Don't mention it. I guess I'm sorry about... that thing._

"Right. Let's not dwell on... that thing.... Wait, how did you know it wasn't real?"

I walked around impatiently in a circle before answering._ I just knew you wouldn't __**actually**__ do that. It's something out of my nightmares, it's not how you __**are.**_

He nodded. "I see. I... I know you wouldn't hurt Bella either." I gave him a funny look and he coughed before continuing. "We have to find Seth. We had just managed to pin Victoria's help down before this all started."

_I don't even know where we are right now, and I'm more worried about finding Bella. Can you hear anything?_

He looked around for a moment, shaking his head, before the background noise that was my brothers in my head finally answered.

_Jake!_

_ Paul?_

"What are they saying?" Edward asked me impatiently.

_ Give me a second. What is it Paul._

_ We saw the fog and came running. The little girl thing's with us too. We caught Victoria and the blonde trying to head around, we think to cut Bella off. Seth finally caught up with us and whatsherface... Alice is building a fire. Get over here quick._

_ Where's Bella?_

_ Ve's got her. She warned us of what the thing was going to do and told us to head this way. We got to the leeches just before they could corner Bella with that spider thing._

_ Ve's back?_

"Ve's back?"

_ Yeah, Ve's back. Haul ass._

I nodded and turned back to Edward._ Paul and Sam found them. This way._

"What about Bella?"

_Ve's got her. Come on, they've got them cornered, and your sister's already started the fire._

We followed Paul's directions and ended up near the tree I had knocked over. Sam, Paul and Seth trying to keep the two vampires at bay and I could see a fire nearby with Alice throwing as much dead wood as she could into it, struggling to keep it alight since the wood wasn't very dry. Victoria seemed mad as ever, but the blonde looked injured, one of his arms hanging at a funny angle. As soon as she saw us, she took off into the woods, allowing the guys to close in on the blonde.

"I'll head her off. You go that way!"

I nodded and took off, thankful that her hair stuck out like a sore thumb, until I heard two loud bangs come from behind me. Looking back I saw Ve helping Bella over a log towards that... dead thing.

_Sam? Why the fuck did Ve give Bella a gun?_

_ Nevermind that right now, go get Victoria!_

I kept running after the streak of red hair, unable to see where Edward wanted me to lead her, I kept going straight for her. She was desperate now, barely missing trees and logs, not taunting like before when it was just me. I kept after her and soon after, in a strange reversal of what happened earlier, Edward leapt down from the trees, knocking Victoria off her feet and rolling past her. As he righted himself he looked back at me.

"Now Jake!"

I jumped into the air, landing straight on top of her. She howled up at me, looking defeated and if I could have smirked right then, I would have.

_Say goodnight bitch._

Her answer was to yell again before I lunged down for her neck. She managed in a desperate pull to get away from me, leaving her left shoulder and arm in my mouth, but didn't manage to get far before Edward caught up with her and with a vicious jerk twisted her head off.

I howled in victory and helped Edward drag the still wriggling pieces to Alice's fire.

* * *

Bella POV

I was sprawled out on the Cullens' coffee table as Carlisle looked at my foot after having stitched up my arm. I clutched a blanket around me, glad to be warm.

"You sprained this pretty bad Bella."

"At least I actually fell out of a tree this time. That should make for a good enough excuse."

"Your father wondered why you were in a tree, but he seemed to believe me."

"He's good that way."

He hummed as he looked my foot over. "Well at least there are no breaks. But you did twist it rather severely."

"Several times," I said, wincing as he moved it.

"Ve could you hand me the–" He stopped mid sentence as she was already holding out what I assume he wanted in her hand – one of those rolled up cloth bandages. He looked up at her and she grinned at him. "Yes, that's it."

I kicked her with my good foot. "Stop messing with him. He's helping me."

She laughed, shaking her head slightly. "As you wish little sister."

Carlisle chuckled. "You're going to need to keep this tensor bandage on for a few weeks. Come back in a few days and we'll change the dressing on your arm and see if we can't take your stitches out. Luckily you don't have a concussion, but you are going to have a rather nasty black eye."

"Figures I would give myself a black eye."

"Otherwise, you're fine to go home. Be careful in the shower with your arm though. Also here." He passed me a glass of water with two Tylenol. "Something for the headache."

"Thanks." I took them and sat up, using Ve's shoulder to get myself on the couch. The living room looked like a triage ward. Most of the Pack was there, getting something bandaged or sewn together. Fast healing rates didn't mean you don't get stitches. Jared and Embry were on the other couch, already patched up and trying to "recover some calories" by scarfing down just about all of the left over party food, plus a stack of pizzas Emmett was forced to go get. Colin and Brady had gone home to get some sleep, and Leah was shooting death glares at Jasper, who was wrapping her brother's chest with gauze. Paul was currently snickering at Quil's misfortune.

"It's not funny, asshole."

"Oh, it's pretty funny."

"No it's not!"

"Stop whining!" chided Rosalie. "Your leader told us her contacts said that, in the case of you dogs, we should cauterise any wounds that were from that reaver thing biting you." She was heating up the flat of one of those spatula things you frost cakes with by using a kitchen blowtorch.

"Is it my fault the thing bit my ass?"

Even from here I could see Rosalie trying to keep down a chuckle. "Next time be faster then."

"I'll show you fast." Quil's protestations dropped to mumbling. "Why do _you_ have to do it?"

"I'm good at welding."

"You aren't welding my ass, woman!"

"Paul, hold him, Quil, lose the pants."

"This is some devious plot to see me naked!"

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Can't you just pour rubbing alcohol over it? Whatever happened to Polysporin?"

"Quil, stop being a baby and show the nice vampire your ass."

Quil shook his head in frustration before pulling his shorts down in back just low enough so Rosalie could see the bite, I presumed, since he was facing towards me and I was thankfully seeing none of this.. He jabbed a finger in Paul's direction. "You are so going to hurt for thiIISSSS!!!!" He hissed out the last part as Rosalie brought down the spatula, causing Paul to double over with laughter. "Fucking hell, _warn_ me next time!"

"You might have flinched." Rosalie was still struggling not to laugh as she carefully taped on a compress.

"I hate you."

"Feeling's mutual dogboy, now go sit down." Quil shot her a look as he pulled up his pants. "Or lie down on your stomach, whatever" Quil left the room in a huff and Rosalie was finally able to burst into laughter.

Esme brought out more food for the guys and I managed to get down a piece of toast while watching the door idly. Jake, Sam, Edward and Alice had agreed to stay back and burn all the remains, and I really just wanted this to be over. Hour after hour ticked by and they didn't show up.

"Something's wrong," I said to Carlisle.

He nodded grimly. "Something is wrong. They should have been back by now."

"So what do we do?"

"I don't know. Ve is there anything you can do?"

She looked up from her lunch. "Well. We don't want to go out there blind. I'll have to look through his eyes. A moment." She closed her eyes and I watched as they started to flick back and forth. It took a moment before she gasped. "Volturi."

"What?" Carlisle's eyes went wide. The room suddenly went quiet as everyone gathered closer to Ve. "What do you mean Volturi?"

"Eight of them. Jacob and Sam are hiding in a ditch, praying that the clove oil is still working. Your children are trying to protect a newborn who surrendered."

"Why are they here?"

"There's a small woman speaking. Something about reports from Seattle. They were sent to clean up. She's ordering them to stand down so they can destroy the newborn. They are determined to save it."

Carlisle looked from Jasper, to Emmett and finally to Esme, before nodding to himself, a sadness coming over his face. "We can't risk them finding out about you Ve."

She nodded back. "They can't know of what's to come."

Carlisle sighed, sweeping a hand through his hair. "Tell Jake to get them to stand down."

She nodded, closing her eyes again. After a moment she spoke. "It's done." She paused, licking her lips. "I am sorry. I know you did not want to have to do that."

"Thank you. We do what we have to I suppose."

"We do. Thank you for your precaution."

Carlisle nodded, returning to the notes he had arrayed on the table. Another half hour went by before the front door finally opened.

All four of them looked worn out and streaked with mud, particularly Sam and Jake. They trudged into the house, Sam and Jake being uncharacteristically nice to Alice, letting her in first. She didn't look pleased.

I got up to go to Jake, only making it a few steps before he reached me and picked me up. "What do you think you're doing walking around? You fell out of a tree!"

"I'm fine."

"Your black eye says otherwise." He hugged me to his chest and I was unbelievably happy to have him back.

"Is she going to be ok?"

"Alice? Yeah. She's just... you know, upset. That girl they saved... she didn't have to die. But her and Edward would have never been able to take them all on by themselves. They appeared out of nowhere. The only reason why we're sure they didn't see me and Sam is because Edward read their minds."

I sighed. "I can't imagine she wouldn't be happy." I hugged him tighter. "Can you put me down now?"

"Are you sure? I mean, your leg–"

I nodded. He let me down and I hobbled over to Alice, who was slumped by the door. "Hey."

"Hey."

"You going to be ok?"

Alice nodded. "I'll be fine. I just realised this isn't going to get any easier. But at least you're safe for now."

"For now? Anything I should worry about?" I said with a chuckle.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Oh please, you know that with your luck you're going to fall into a sink hole or something next week."

I shoved her playfully, looking up to see Jake starting to doze off on the couch. "I should get him home."

"Please do, before he gets dog all over the upholstery."

I sighed as I got up to get him. "Hey there sleepy head, it's time to go."

Jake blinked as he looked up at me. "Yeah, I should be getting home, letting Dad know I'm alive and such. Did you get your stuff?"

"Quil got it from the tent."

Jake sighed with relief. "Finally, something I don't have to do."

"I'll even drive."

He smiled up at me sleepily. "You rule." Embry gave a cat call, causing Jake to launch a pillow at his head. "Shut up, you're just jealous because my girlfriend's awesome."

He got up and helped me to the door, as much as I let him. Edward saw us out. I couldn't help but smile a bit as Jake shook his hand, glad that they were getting along.

"That was a pretty nice takedown there Eddie."

"You did well yourself Jacob."

"I guess I can't punch you in the teeth for dropping Bella out of a tree then."

"I won't kick you in the face for almost knocking a tree on her in return."

Jake tried to keep a straight face but ended up laughing. "God we suck sometimes."

Edward wished us goodbye and we got in the truck and thankfully drove to his house.

* * *

Jake promptly fell asleep in the truck and slept the whole ride home, waking up when we pulled in the drive.

"You ok?" I asked as I got out of the car.

"Fine. I'm used to running on little sleep anyways."

"Well you can sleep some more now, and in your own bed too."

"And miss hanging out with you? I don't think so. You sure you don't want me to carry you in?"

I rolled my eyes. "I can still walk, I just have to mostly keep weight off it. I'm not helpless!"

"I know," he said, smirking at me. "I just like holding you."

"Ass."

"Oh, come on! That's adorable and you know it."

"Still an ass."

"Sure, sure," he said chuckling.

He got the bags out of the truck as I headed in the house, walking very fine on my own, thank you very much. As I got inside I noticed Billy didn't seem to be around, but there was a note on the kitchen counter.

Jacob put the bags by the door. "Dad?"

"He's not here. He left a note though."

Jake walked over to the counter and picked up the note. He began chuckling as he read it.

"What?"

"Typical Dad. Sam called him and told him I was ok, so he got Charlie get the day off to go to the elder's lodge for a sports night with the excuse that it would give us time to get our stories straight. Says he'll be home late, so don't wait up."

I snickered. "That's Billy for you."

"Yeah, as soon as everything's ok, it's back to business as usual. I guess he just figures he's spent enough time worrying about... things."

I nodded and didn't press the issue. I know Jake wasn't exactly comfortable with talking about his mother, even through the eyes of his dad. Instead I slouched against the counter.

"So what do you want to do?"

I swept my hair back. "I don't know... I'm just relieved it's all over. That we don't have to worry about her anymore."

He slid next to me. "Me too. Bella, you don't know how scared I was when I figured out you had fallen."

"I'm fine Jake."

"I know it's just." He bit at the side of his thumb turning to face me fully. "I was right there, and I let you get hurt."

I scoffed slightly, "Like you could have predicted me falling out of a tree." He ran a hand through his hair and looked up at me with worried puppy dog eyes, and I grabbed the hand out of his mouth and kissed it. "Stop beating yourself up over this. I'm fine. Yeah, it could have been worse, but it wasn't. I'm too tired to be sad right now."

He smiled slightly. "Well... if you insist."

"I do."

"Alright then." He flicked my lips.

"Hey!" I shoved him.

"Watch it, that shoulder's tender," he said in mock pain.

"Ass."

"Well how would you like it if I shoved you around when you were injured?"

"As if!"

"Oh yeah?" He suddenly turned and was tickling me.

"This isn't shoving!" I said through laughter.

"It's good enough." He had me pinned to the counter and continued to tickle me mercilessly, until, striving to get him to stop, my lips connected with his. I smiled to myself as his hands stopped, but he didn't let go of me.

Instead one hand gripped the base of my neck gently while the other went to my back and he pulled me up to sit on the counter, continuing to kiss me. His hand ran up the back of my shirt to squeeze at bare skin and I felt heat run up my spine as my tongue slid against his. He pulled me closer to him and I could feel him hard in his pants. I pressed a knee against him and he growled, his hand quickly moving to my waistband and yanking on it, threatening to rip the denim right off me. I gasped and slowly he managed to push away from me.

"I uh–" He bit his lip as he looked down at me.

"Yeah...." I was breathless as I spoke, as was he.

"I'm sorry, it's just... after all that..."

"The fighting and the–"

"Tension."

"Yeah, the tension, I'm just... I'm so relieved."

"Me too." I found myself still unable to breathe properly.

"It was just really..."

" –Hard."

Jake looked down at me with eyes that smouldered as if he was going to eat me alive, and the he groaned low and deep in his throat, pressing against me before suddenly leaning off. "I'm gonna have a shower."

He practically ran out the door and up the stairs and I was left there panting. It was a few minutes before I finally regained the ability to breathe properly and slid myself off the counter. I hobbled back to the living room, plopping down on the couch and began fiddling with my hands. As much as I didn't want a sense of honour to prevent the physical aspect of this relationship, a kitchen counter was hardly the place to do anything. More time went by and my anxiety kept growing until it clicked that Jake's living room was a horrible place to be alone since that night a couple weeks ago. Exactly a couple weeks ago, now that I think about it. Aside from going to the garage, the only way to remedy this was to go upstairs to see if Jake was done his shower yet. I could hear the Jacob-conscience laughing as I got up, but I mentally reminded myself that I was _not_ trying to see him naked, I just hated his damned living room. So there.

Using the railing for support I made my way up the stairs slowly, finding no sense in reinjuring myself by trying to rush out of the scary living room. Getting upstairs I could hear the water was off, so I headed towards his room, intending to knock, but was stopped by the sound of the bathroom door opening.

Jacob walked out, still dripping wet and naked except for a towel around his waist. I found myself frozen, gawking at his chest and biting my lip as I watched the water drip into the towel, my face going red as I remembered my conversation with Rosalie a few days ago. He finally looked up a noticed me after two steps, and I forced myself to tear my eyes away from his body and look at his face. His hair streamed down his shoulders and I found myself licking my lips as I met his gaze.

His eyes became chocolate fire immediately and I felt his stare drop to my lips and heard him groan, like he did downstairs, low and quiet, like he was fighting with himself internally. There was just the slightest twitch to his features, not the scary kind that showed he was near phasing but the one that made me feel like he was going to pull me close to him, that feeling that never got to be fully played out.

"I-I was just going to see if–" My voice died as our eyes connected again and I saw a kind of hunger I had only ever seen from Jake once, on the floor of my bedroom when we were interrupted. I realised he was still growling when it got ever so slightly louder and I feared I was going to fall over from the pull I felt from him. I didn't realise quite what it meant to be imprinted on until just now. My entire body went suddenly weak from want, images flashing through my mind of the false starts at sex we've had before and just how much I wanted this to come full circle. My head pounded and my blood boiled and my body temperature rose, but it was nothing like his. The heat coming off of him was more palpable than usual, causing his hair to get drier before my very eyes. I didn't think I'd ever be able to feel shame at anything I could do to soothe the sudden fire that had started between us. If he was going though anything like what I was, the fire that was going on in his eyes was pure hell.

Jake was breathing heavily through his mouth, trying to contain himself. He blinked a few times, his hands clenching and unclenching, until he finally opened his mouth. "I'm going to have another shower." He ground out finally, each word being said with precision lest he lose control. He spun on his heels and headed back towards the bathroom.

"Wait."

The word left my lips without my intention and he turned to look at me over his shoulder, not trusting himself to face me.

"You... you don't have to."

I watched his back heave and could tell in his eyes he was trying to find some sense of dignity or pride or fear of Charlie's shotgun to refuse me, but instead he said, carefully again, "Are you sure?"

He looked at me, as if he was begging me to see how ludicrous the situation was, how we've only technically been dating for two weeks, that even though Billy and Charlie were gone for the day there was no way to tell if they might just show up at any time, that there by all rights should be rings or flowers or... some sort of frilly shit that sex is validated with by Hallmark or something.

And I frankly couldn't care.

Instead I nodded and instead of knocking on Jake's door like I had intended I turned the handle and went in. I stood there unsure of what to do next while I felt him walk into the room behind me, somehow finding the coherency to flip on his stereo in case someone did come home so they wouldn't hear anything. The next thing I knew I was being lifted up and placed onto the bed, turned to face him and his lips were on mine again and somehow that only made the fire building in the pit of my stomach even worse.

His fingers wound their way through my hair and I found myself surrounded by Jacob, heat soaking into me, making the urge to disrobe even greater. I traced circles on his back, still somewhat slick from his shower, and moaned as he pressed himself against me. He didn't taste like anything but him this time, as he nibbled at my lips and licked against my tongue, causing my head to spin.

Somewhere in all of this my shirt got pulled over my head and I wrapped my arms around him, trying to gain as much skin contact as I possibly could. By some miracle he managed to pull away to look down at me with dark lidded eyes and ask, "Are you sure you're sure? Because if we keep going Bells I don't know if I can–"

I put a finger over his lips. "Jake, I want you to."

He growled low again and grabbed for my bra, leaving me barely able to undo the clasp before he yanked it off me, throwing it behind him. My pants went the same way, with me struggling to undo them before he ruined them, my panties going off with them. He reached for my socks and shoes, ripping those off next simultaneously, before tearing off the tensor bandage, sending the fastener flying across the room, pinging off the wall somewhere. I lay beneath him, completely naked except for the compress on my arm, and wasn't at all afraid until this moment, when his eyes raked over my bare body and I felt myself going red, wishing it was darker and not around noon suddenly. He ran his hand down my left side, his thumb brushing over my breast and sliding down to my hip, rubbing a circle there. I heard him whisper beautiful, and thanked whoever was listening for the spontaneous increase in cup size I had undergone in the past few weeks, and then he kissed me again, his tongue probing into my mouth and mine readily meeting it. While I was still nervous, I wasn't as nervous as I think I should have been, and I assumed that has something to do with the imprint and thanked whoever was listening for that too. My nerves were from... wanting to be good, not awkwardness. It felt almost as if we had done this before, despite our mutual experience being from pictures and previous fumbling.

As he gazed at me, I lifted a hand to his chest and stroked down it, until it connected with the towel, the last bit of fabric remaining between us and I began to pull. He lifted himself up so it slid off and then finally he was naked as I, and somehow I felt warmer for it. Hesitantly I looked down, sliding my gaze over parts of Jake I had never seen before, going even redder when I saw his size was comparable to that ridiculous porn Jessica brought to a sleepover once. Being over six feet tall had its advantages I supposed. Regaining some of that former courage, I continued my hand down, sliding over his belly to wrap around his member as best I could. Jake went board stiff, gasping as his eyes slid back into his head and his hips jerked towards me slightly. I marvelled at how hard and smooth it could be at the same time, and how it was the same colour as the rest of him, aside from the tip which was so red it was almost purple. After a moment he grabbed my wrist roughly, croaking out "Enough!" I looked up at him, going even redder if that were possible once I realised that he was stopping me because I was doing something right instead of doing something wrong.

He pulled my hand up and kissed me again, brushing a thumb across my nipple and stroking my stomach with the knuckles of his other hand. His pressing against me was more urgent and I could feel myself grow slick.

Eventually he pulled back and bent down to take one of my nipples into his mouth as he slowly brushed in thumb over my mound. I stared down at him, gripping his shoulder and near shaking as he stroked me lightly. He lifted his mouth away from my breast to lick his fingers before returning his hand to where it was, curling his fingers to finally touch my clit. My hips rose off the bed as I cried out, shocked that it felt this much better when I wasn't doing it myself. His fingers circled and I relaxed, enjoying the slow coil that was twisting deep in my belly, pulling his head up to kiss him greedily again. As I sucked on his bottom lip, he entered me with his middle fingered. I sighed, enjoying the full feeling, shuddering as he softly rubbed the outside of my pussy with his thumb.

"Ready?"

His voice was unlike I had ever heard it before, lower and more gravely, like he was growling as he was speaking, and I felt heat pool in my chest as he looked into my eyes. I nodded eagerly and he positioned himself over me, gently rubbing his cock against me before gently placing a hand on each him. Giving me one last kiss, he whispered. "I'm sorry if I don't go slow enough... you're so gorgeous." I blushed and looked away, only to have my face caught in his hand and softly pulled to face him.

In one motion he raised my hips with his hands and slid into me until the base of his cock rubbed against my clit. Tears pricked at my eyes, more from the foreign feeling of being so full than from much pain and I gripped onto him, trying to accommodate him. He wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me close as possible, and I'd never felt so naked before in my life. I wrapped my legs around his waist and after a moment he began to move.

My vision swam in front of me. It still hurt, but only slightly, and the gliding and the rubbing and the _friction_ was... _exquisite._ I moaned and that set him off. The growling intensified and his grip nearly crushed me as he began moving faster, ever so slightly, and all I could do was hold on as he pushed into me again and again and the coil wound tighter and tighter as my body tingled from the new sensation.

He nipped at my shoulder and my nails traced their way down his back, my hand resting at his lower back to encourage his movements. As the coil wound tighter in my belly I found myself in the strange predicament of not being able to orgasm. Jake's penis felt wonderful, as did his hand at my breast, plucking at my nipple, but the occasional twinge of pain throwing my rhythm off coupled with the odd feeling of being full and the newness of it all left me over stimulated. Determined not to be frustrated, I allowed myself to relax and enjoy looking up at him.

It was almost as good as an orgasm, watching him above me. He was by any term beautiful with his brow furrowed and his bottom lip clenched between his teeth, and I was amazed at how just a tiny motion of my hips could spur him on, right up to his full body quaking as I rose my hips up to meet him with each full thrust. I watched, lovingly through heavy lidded eyes, as his speed increased and his breathing became shallower, as his hands returned to my hips, gripping them like vices as he pistoned in and out of me. His whole body became tense and the thrusts became faster and faster, near slamming into me and I knew I'd be sore tomorrow but I didn't care because I was here now, and the fullness was becoming more pleasurable than ever.

His growls had turned into full on grunts and I clung to him, kissing his neck. I felt him become more tense than ever before, a hard sheet of muscle above me and I cried out as he sunk into and stayed there, gasping as he came. I felt impossibly full then as he emptied himself into me and stroked his back as he struggled to stop panting. We were both slick with sweat, and I was so deliciously warm that I could have stayed there all day.

After a few moments he gently rolled off of me and I groaned at the loss of contact. He kissed me on the forehead and smiled at me brilliantly. "Bells, you were... incredible." He stroked some hair away from my face. "Did you...?"

I knew what he meant from the look in his eyes and took a moment to answer, not wanting him to feel any different because I didn't come, because it was still amazing, but I eventually shook my head. "But it's ok," I said when his face fell.

"The hell it is." He pulled me closer to him, cradling from my side as he brought his right hand between my legs again, his fingers resting on my lower belly as his thumb starting to work a circle over my clit.

The coil began tightening in my belly against instantly and I found myself calling out and straining in his arms, opening my legs further for him. Without the foreign stimulation, my body responded easily to him and I groped my left breast wantonly, writhing underneath him as he stroked my clit faster and faster. Our gazes locked again and he licked his lips and spoke. "That's it Bella. Come for me." His words sent me toppling over the edge and I screamed my release, bucking against his hand until all I could do was gently rub myself against him.

"That's better," he said, curling me into his arms after I had calmed down.

I kissed his chest. "I love you," I murmured.

"I love you too Bella."

He pulled me close to him and I fell asleep beside him, nestled into his arms.

* * *

When we woke hours later it was already getting dark, but it was thankfully only around 9 so Billy and Charlie hadn't come home yet. Jake helped me dress, digging around his room for the lost tensor bandage. I laughed at him, as he couldn't stop smiling, but then, neither could I. We got my stuff and he helped me to my car, and this time, I let him carry me (but only this once.).

"Are you sure you'll be ok to drive home?"

I laughed. "What are you suggesting?"

"I could come with you, you know. And come back here later."

I giggled. "No Jake! You need to get some sleep and I'm sure certain... features of my anatomy could use a rest."

He laughed. "It's less fun to tell people that I made you walk funny when you always walk funny."

"Ha ha ha," I said, sarcastically, "Just because your brothers are going to find out anyways because of the telepathy doesn't mean you get to go around tell them things."

"I can't help it."

I sighed. "Good night Jake... and thank you, for you know, everything."

"Everything?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"You know, saving my life, putting your neck on the line, that everything?"

"Are you sure that's everything in your everything?"

"Don't push it."

He laughed. "Sure, sure." My head throbbed suddenly and I clutched my forehead. "Bella-honey, you ok?"

I nodded. "Just a headache. I should be fine. See you tomorrow?"

"Definitely."

I leaned out the window to give him a kiss. "Bye Jake."

"Bye."

I started the drive home, my head starting to throb a little more intensely. I shook it off until I got home, still smiling. I fixed myself a sandwich in the kitchen and ate it, but the headache still wouldn't go away. Finally I went up stairs with a glass of water, got two Tylenol out of the bathroom and took them before going into my room. I placed the glass of water next on my desk next to a book and a few pens and flopped down on my bed with a sigh.

_Happy?_

"Oh, there you are Jacob-conscience," I said, knowing no one was home to hear me be weird. "I thought you'd be gloating before now."

Laughter rang inside my head. _I can be nice. Sometimes._

"Sometimes."

_So. Here we are. Bella the not-virgin._

"Yep."

_So answer the question, Bells._

"Of course I'm happy."

_Good. I want you to be happy._

I laughed aloud.

_I have to tell you, I'm going to miss this._

"Miss what?"

_Things. The way they are now._

"I sighed. What on earth can you mean now Jake?"

_You. The way you are now. Innocent._

"I thought we just confirmed I was not a virgin anymore?"

_Not what I mean._

"Then what?"

_Simple Bella. You thinking I'm a figment of your imagination._

"You _are_ a figment of my imagination."

_No Bella. I'm not._

My head throbbed again. "Clearly Carlisle was wrong and I have a concussion."

_Afraid not._

"It has to be that. The voice in my head is trying to assert its own authority."

The Jacob-conscience sighed. _I can see you're going to make this difficult._

"Difficult?"

_Yes. I didn't want this to be traumatic but you leave me no choice._

"No ch–" I clutched my head as it suddenly exploded in pain, causing me to writhe on the bed. I heard myself scream but the pain wouldn't go away, causing me to claw at my temple. Several more minutes of agony passed by until my head was clear again. I hissed. "What the hell was that?" I practically screamed.

_I told you, I wanted this to be easier, but I'm tired of just sitting here._

I strained to sit up. Something was really wrong here and I needed to get a hold of Carlisle before it continued. But before I could reach for the cordless, something caught my eye.

I looked to my desk to see something dripping into my water. Looking up , there was a small puddle of water on my ceiling. "Just what I need," I grumbled. "A leak."

_No Bella. Look closer._

Against my better judgement, I looked at the glass again and gasped at what I saw. The water on the ceiling wasn't dripping into the glass.

The water in the glass was dripping onto the ceiling.

Beside the glass the pens started to shake and one by one I watched slack jawed as they flew towards the ceiling. The water started streaming out of glass in two swirling lines before the glass itself went skyward, along with my books. Before I knew it the desk itself and everything on it slowly rose to rest against the ceiling, along with everything else in the room – pillows, blankets, my hamper, carpets, my dresser. Everything.

Once that had all gone up, the bed, with me in it, followed suit. I shrieked as we rose, but could do nothing to stop it and found myself rolling against the ceiling to avoid being squished. I braced myself for impact but it never came, and when I opened my eyes, the sight floored me.

I was sitting, curled up to the end on my bed, _on my ceiling._

I rubbed my eyes frantically but it was still there. I pinched myself hard, but that didn't work either. _I'm on the ceiling,_ I thought and tried to get it to sink in, _I'm on the ceiling._ But it wouldn't. It refused.

I tucked my knees under my chin, rocking slightly, stilly in pure shock.

"This isn't happening," I said and wished it would go away, but it didn't.

"This isn't happening," I said and tried to picture my room back the way it was, but when I opened my eyes, it was still there.

"This isn't happening.... This isn't happening."

_Oh, but Bella..._

_ It is._

A/N: And you guys thought I was making her a werewolf. Ha.

Don't worry, all shall be revealed. And sorry for the long break. Again. I know, I suck. But I at least bring really long chapters and lemons this time.

As for music, I listened to Massive Attack's Angel the whole time I wrote the sex scene. Tell me what you think of that by the way, I hope I did em proud.

And, as always, leave a comment because I luuuuurve hearing from you guys!


	12. Mesmer

A/N: Yes! Everybody's confused! My evil plans are put in motion! *maniacal evil laughter*

I mean *cough*.

Little furry cannibals: I can't give a clear answer as to whether or not I think she's in the wrong, because there's a lot of things to go over there, and I'd have to say something about each one. And, of course, I can't do that, because I'd be giving too much away.*winks* But I can say that I do think some of what she feels and does is justified. I just also think that other things she has done have been completely wrong and she has gone way over the line before. Hell, she'll admit she's gone over the line before, but that's for later. The most important thing to keep in mind is that I didn't write her to be some sort of shining awesomeness, I wrote her to be a highly flawed character who can also be likable and sympathetic. Meyer's trend seems to be when you're evil, you're evil, and when you're not, you're not. That's just really not the case here. I'm not trying to say everything she does is good, and nor am I trying to say everything she does is bad. She's not perfect, she's a person. A thousand year old person who can turn into a giant wolf, but still a person.

Amanda Wilder: Haha! Good one! Yes yes, his pecks are quite life changing, are they not?

As for the time thing, the last chapter really did take that long. I started writing it I think minutes after chapter ten went live, and really had to pluck at that one for months. There were some days where I'd write a sentence, and then have to come back to it next week when I figured out where to go with it. Yeah, it was a toughy. The new Livejournal is kind of to combat that.

PeanutButterDragon gets a cookie. You'll see why in a minute.

I have a Twitter now: stigmatacrow. Yeah, I know, sigh.

For my German readers, I make up a German portmanteau in this chapter. I only have two years of German, so if it comes off stupid, I humbly apologise XD.

Arg, another long A/N! Damn my verbosity! Shutting up now.

Bella POV

"This isn't happening."

_Bella…_

"This isn't happening."

_Come on Bella._

"This isn't happening!" I was near whining now, desperately trying to wish the voice and the room away.

_Bella, stop it. There is no reason for you to be so perturbed, if you would just allow me to explain-_

"Go away."

_Bella this is unnecessary, and besides it won't work._

"GO AWAY!"

There was silence for a moment, and I prayed that it had worked and it had actually gone away. I would still be stuck on the ceiling, but that was better than nothing. Moments later my hopes were dashed.

_Fine. If you insist on being a child about this, I will find someone you will listen to._

And then there was silence, as though my head were empty. I prayed and wished to be let down to no avail, breaking the silence with my sobs as I peeked out at my upside-down world through my fingers. The more I looked, the more real it became so finally I just shut my eyes, hating myself for not telling Jake to come over, but too scared to phone him. What on earth was I going to say when Charlie got home?

Suddenly I was faced with that fear far sooner than I had hoped as there was a knock on the door.

"G-go away!" I said, sounding pitiful to my own ears. "I…I-I'm busy."

"Isabella?"

I felt somewhat relieved when Ve's voice sounded through the door, but still shaken I said, "You d-don't want to come in here Ve. It's not safe."

"Bella, it is hard to explain, but I feel I must come in there."

"It's dangerous."

She chuckled. "I think I'll take my chances."

I opened my eyes again and looked down…up…towards the door as it opened. Ve's face went pale as she saw the state of my room. "I told you it was bad."

"Oh my." I almost laughed at her speechlessness. I watched as she reached into her back pocket and pulled out a knife. Grabbing a lock of her hair, she cut off around three inches of it and pinched an end between her fingers before putting her hand into the room. Her eyes became as wide as mine as we both watched the hair flip the direction it was hanging as it passed through my doorway. "My Gods… well this does explain things."

I lost it. "Ve, what the _fuck_ does this explain? I'm on the fucking ceiling and there's a voice in my head masquerading as Jacob. This explains fucking nothing!"

"Well at the very least you can confirm you are not crazy." I choked out a sob in response. "Bella, watch yourself. I am coming in." She slipped off her shoes and stared at one of the empty spots on my ceiling, eyeing her jump before leaping into the room. I watched her roll as she hit the ceiling before righting herself so she was the same orientation I was. She stood and made her way over to me, around my dresser, kneeling down beside me and pulling my hands away from my eyes. I bit my lip to stop crying. "Bella, I am afraid that I must apologise to you, I have done you a discourtesy."

"You knew about this, didn't you?"

She closed her eyes and sighed. "I can see the supernatural. That is the gift my father gave me. But I can only tell if you are or if you aren't, not what you are. And it's not my place–"

"I know," I said bitterly. "It's not your place to interfere."

She nodded. "However, if I had known what it was, I would have warned you, I would have contacted others, given you some inkling. I believe in allowing things to happen naturally, but this… this is not something that is gone through alone, even in practice."

I laughed through tears at the absolute insanity of the situation, feeling more than a little insane myself despite her previous affirmation of my mental state. "How did you even know to come here?"

"I was told to come here."

"So that's what it meant by finding someone I would listen to."

She nodded again. "Now, do you think you can get us down from here?"

"Me? I didn't even do anything to get up here in the first place!"

Ve clicked her tongue and sighed. "It hasn't even relinquished control then."

"Ve, _what_ hasn't relinquished control?"I looked up at her for answers.

She rubbed the lines away from her brow. "Where to even begin… Swan, that's a German name, isn't it?"

I nodded slowly.

"And on your mother's side? Where does her family come from?"

I tried to think. "Grandpa's family was from England. Gran's was from Poland or somewhere thereabouts."

"German nationals?"

"Maybe."

Ve sighed. "You could be getting it from both sides." She brushed her hair back from her eyes before continuing. "Have you ever heard of Franz Anton Mesmer?"

_Franz Anton Mesmer._ I searched for a reference to that name in my memory, and though it was vaguely familiar, nothing came to mind "Not really."

"He was a German doctor and astrologer in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. His work was focused on affecting forces inside the body to cause beneficial effects. His work states that there is a liquid inside the body, a sort of ethereal humour previously undiscovered, and it is this liquid which differentiates the animate from the inanimate. He called the force that this liquid exerts on us 'animal magnetism,' as opposed to mineral magnetism that is found in magnets, or planetary magnetism, which is why the planets revolve around the sun. Using that notion, he could supposedly cause artificial tides in the body, the feeling of waves and so on."

"…Ok…" I had no idea where she was going with this.

"Ultimately what he did was attempt to provide a logical reason behind faith healing, saying that these holy people, while sincere in their faith, actually possessed excessive amounts of this liquid, giving them a stronger animal magnetism, which in turn is actually what cured people. He then tried to reproduce the effects, through various techniques, one of which is basically the beginnings of hypnotism. The French courts called a panel together to investigate his work through one of his pupils, Charles D'Eslon, and, unfortunately for Dr. Mesmer, it was completely attributed to the patient's imagination," she gestured with her hands as she spoke, "that it was not the practitioner, called 'the magnetiser' who was doing anything, but the patient themselves. Basically, all of the positive effects happened because the patient believed that they would. They were psychosomatic. This disgraced Mesmer, and he spent the last 20 years of his life in exile, considered a fraud until he died in 1815."

"Ve… where are you going with this?"

"I'm explaining to you what you are."

I blinked, as the thought of a German doctor explaining why I was on the ceiling was suddenly sillier than actually being on the ceiling_. "How?"_

"Because that is the lie Bella. That is what has been written down and told for centuries, and I am afraid to admit that we did it, but it is a lie."

"How is it a lie?"

"Because Mesmer wasn't a fraud. Granted, he wasn't doing any of what he said he was doing, but he wasn't a fraud. The truth is that Mesmer belonged to one of the groups of people under the Great Council. You see Mesmer _was_ lying. He didn't discover some liquid that caused magnetic forces in the body that he could heal people with. But the effects he produced? Those were real, and they weren't caused by his patients' imaginations. They were caused by _him."_

"How did he do them?"

"It is like I said, he was one of us, one of the Council. His particular sect descends from a peculiar group of Germanic tribes that have a symbiotic connection with spirits. They are called today Verstandweber," she said, accenting it in German, pronouncing the 'v' as an 'f' and the 'w' as a 'v'. "Or in English, the Mind Weavers."

"S-so," I said, trying to make sense of all this. "he could… 'weave' people's minds?"

"No. He could use his mind to weave the universe around him. More specifically, that symbiotic connection I mentioned granted him the ability to use his mind in ways impossible to other humans."

It finally dawned on me. "So I have one of those spirits... in my head?"

Ve nodded. "I believe so."

"Well how do I get it out?" My voice shook as I spoke.

"Short of something that would kill you, you don't."

I sobbed. "B-but this isn't fair! I didn't choose this!"

Ve sighed and wrapped her arm around me. "There are a lot of things we don't choose in life little sister. Who our parents are, where we're from, when we're born. They happen to us, either at random or from someone else's choosing. But what we do get to choose is what we do with those things, how we respond to them, and what good we make of them. I may think that vampires are evil creatures, but even I can admit that the Cullens have taken the evil that was largely forced upon them and tried to make something good of it. And if Cold Ones can manage to do it, so can you. Mind Weavers are a clan. The spirits they are associated with only choose people from the descendents of those certain tribes. For some reason or another, one of those spirits found its way to Washington, found one of its kin and chose to take up residence in them. That was its choice. Now you have to choose what to do with it."

Sobs continued to wrack my body but I tried to evaluate her words. It was my choice what to do next. Mine. And looking back at everything I had chosen to do up to this point, crying on the ceiling seemed like a really bad next choice to make.

I thought of Jake. My Jacob, the most well adjusted person to ever suddenly become a mythological creature I knew. Well if he could take that in stride, what was having spirit in your head in comparison? I wiped my eyes on my sleeve and tried to pull what little of myself I could together. "Why don't we try and get the room righted and then you can finish telling me about... whatever this is."

Ve smiled, her bright teeth flashing. "Sounds like a plan little sister. Now since it hasn't relinquished control yet, would you mind terribly if I tried to talk to it?"

I laughed in spite of myself, drying my tears again. "No, by all means, converse with the voice in my head. Stranger things have happened."

Ve gently took my head in her heads and positioned herself in front of me, staring deep into my eyes. It looked as though she was trying to stare through them. Then I heard her voice, though her lips did not move.

_We know you're in there._

The voice answered back. _Well it's about damned __**time.**_

_Fix what you did to this room._

_ What? Immediately?_ The voice chuckled.

_This really isn't the best time for games._

_ Fine, fine. Bella, you may want to grit your teeth._

"What? Why?" I panicked immediately.

"He means that using his abilities overtly without giving control to the host can cause some discomfort. The next few seconds are not going to be exactly pleasant."

"Just get. Me. _Down."_

"You heard her."

The searing pain started in my head again, moving from my temples back and I hissed out, squeezing my eyes shut until I felt myself moving. Opening my eyes I saw the room reverse back to how it was before, the dresser slowly lowering to the floor along with the bed, right down to the water spiralling back into its glass and righting itself on the table. Lastly the world swirled and righted as Ve and I slowly floated to be on my bed.

Ve sighed and I took a deep breath. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Not... really." I slowly shook my head. "But better than a minute ago."

"I am sure. This is going to require a lot of explaining."

"Oh, I'm sure it is."

"I'm frankly surprised you haven't devolved into shock. Most Mind Weavers have years to prepare for this and cope with it."

"Ve, I had a mental breakdown somewhere around an hour ago. It's sheer force of will that's keeping me from turning into a blubbering mess right now. So... where do I even start?"

"Well, does it have a preferred name?"

"I've just been calling it Jacobconscience since I thought it was a figment of my imagination."

_I'm right here, you know._

"As if she can hear you right now."

_She can if I let her._

"It has a point." I glowered at Ve as she answered it. "Well?"

_My relationship with my last host did not require a name. We thought of each other as one._

"That's common for Mind Weavers," Ve said, addressing me. "Given the nature of bond with the spirit, it eventually becomes hard to tell where it ends and you begin. Talking to it feels like talking to yourself."

This was something I could understand, so I grasped for it. "It gets comfortable, familiar even."

Ve nodded. "Most people talk to themselves every now and then, to reassure themselves. When the spirit takes up that role of reassurance, it can be hard to remember that it was once separate from you." Ve crossed her arms and looked deep into my eyes, almost past me and I knew she was talking to it again. "Shall I leave you to your explanation?"

_No. You she trusts you more than me right now._

"Can you blame her?"

The Jacobconscience laughed. _That's not the issue._

"Guys, I'm right here."

_Welcome to my world._

"Fine." Ve uncrossed her arms and sat on my bed, motioning for me to join her. "I'm sure you have questions. We should have sometime before your father makes it home."

"How did this even happen to me?"

"It's probably best to start at the beginning."

I sighed. "Well, mythology has helped me in the past."

Ve chuckled. "Alright. There are two differing origin stories of the Verstandweber, but both start out the same. That thing we fought last night has cousins. Many, many cousins. Not to say they're related by species, but creatures that attack us using our dreams and nightmares are more common than you think."

"Also completely terrifying."

"That's exactly why they are terrifying. They're ingrained in the collective subconscious. Take Freddy Krueger." I had to laugh at Ve mentioning a camp movie villain. "Yes, he may be silly, but the premise? Something attacking you when you are most vulnerable and unable to fight? That's horrifying. And that's why it resonates with us. We remember more than we think."

I trembled, remembering the thing. "So what kind of cousins?"

"More deadly than even that creature was. Thousands of years ago, several Germanic tribes related loosely by culture and kinship were plagued by spirits that would kill you from within your dreams."

"Actual Freddy Kruegers?"

"As ludicrous as that sounds, it is not an unfair assessment. People would wake up to find their loved ones dead in their beds, pale and husk-like, as if the life force had been sucked out of them. They were defenceless, until they did the only thing that available to them."

"What was that?"

"These tribes were largely animists. They worshipped their dead ancestors, and the spirits of the world around them. Spirits that lived in the very earth, water, and air that they needed for survival. Ancient beings who know more than we can ever hope to, and the only answer for these people was to ask for their assistance. But their help didn't come cheaply."

I chewed on my bottom lip. "It never does."

"No little sister, it never does. You see spirits, while being so vastly different from us in their natures, do share certain things with us. In this case, it was curiosity. You see, for as long as they existed, they dwelt alongside the physical world, and after awhile, that world piques their interest. Your ancient ancestors realised this, and offered something these spirits couldn't ignore. A passage to the physical world, in themselves."

"So they let them possess them?"

"This is more than just possession, little sister. It is complete integration with a living being. Possession, while alluring for certain spirits, is temporary. Fleeting. They're inside a body, but they aren't part of it. It is akin to wearing ill-fitting clothing, or watching a movie with the sound off. It never feels right."

"Why?"

"Because the context is missing. These beings, having never had a body, cannot relate to the experiences of having one, and what that means. Nevermind the slew of feelings, pleasures, pains and obligations that go with it. But to integrate fully with a person, to bind yourself close enough to them that you act as one, that gives them the experience they crave. That allows them to taste actual life force, to enjoy the feeling of being alive. To be offered this gift was proof of a loyalty between man and it's guardians that merited assistance."

"So... they just wanted to feel human?" I said, trying to wrap my brain around this.

"Precisely. They were already familiar with rocks and trees, and the minds of animals didn't offer them the complexity they sought. So they accepted. How exactly this was done is where the contention takes place. The first legend says that the tribe cast the spirits into pigs, and then slaughtered them and ate the meat, thereby allowing the spirits to come into them. The other one is... slightly more sinister."

I gulped. "Human sacrifice?"

Ve surprised me by laughing. "No, not that. The spirits ordered that every married woman of childbearing age spend a night with their husbands, and then be bound to wooden contraptions, rather like what gardeners tie rosebushes to, and left in the woods over night."

"That... doesn't sound that sinister."

"It doesn't? Would you like to be tied to a wooden frame and left in the woods here for a day, knowing full well some of the things that lurk there?"

Victoria may have been dead, but I got the point. "No, not really."

"And that's not mentioning what happened to them."

"What did happen to them?"

"Around sunset some were screaming to be let down. Others were babbling incoherently. Eventually a symphony of moans, screams and curses arose from the forest, in voices so terrifying some of the tribe regretted their deal. They knew the voices still came from their kinswomen, but they sounded unearthly. Sounds no person should have to hear coming from the mouths of those they loved."

I trembled at the thought. "Were they alright?"

"That depends on your definition of alright. When they were taken down, they were said to be cold, but largely coherent, even if they remembered little of the past night."

"That's it? I mean, what did that even accomplish?"

Her ice blue eyes showed their age as she spoke, and I found myself staring at them. "That wasn't immediately apparent until they all started showing signs of being pregnant."

I gasped. "And their children were-"

"Yes," she said, cutting me off. "The first Mind Weavers. In either case, these Mind Weavers were able to combat the tribe's attackers on their home ground, using their new bond with their ancestral guardian spirits to end their threat. And they were _very_ effective. Not one person of that tribe has had to worry about being eaten from within their dreams again. Granted, other foes arose, they always do, but all the same."

I grabbed a pillow off the bed and clutched it to my chest. "Wow..."

"The world is more complex than we think, little sister."

"So how do they get new ones?"

"The training process is very gruelling. Usually a spirit finds an appropriate candidate for their host when the host is in childhood, around six, and once selected they're taken to the Academy, where they spend the next eight to ten, sometimes even fifteen years preparing for the eventual meld. It's not as easy for human and spirit to merge as you'd think. Without proper integration, it's just possession. There's nothing to tie the spirit to the host and it can be forced out. They have to gradually break into the hosts brain and reform neural pathways in order for them to freely bind themselves to the host's body. This would explain the headaches you've been experiencing." I reached up and rubbed my temple.

"Once the host has been prepared, they undergo a sort of "initiation", in which the spirit is finally fully integrated with the host. How this is done calls back to the two myths on how the Mind Weavers started. The host is served a dinner of roast boar and then bound to a wooden frame while the initiation ceremony is conducted. At the height of the ceremony, the host is fed a concoction of the blood from the boar, boiled with various herbs and spices. That act is called the Opening of the Soul, the point at which the Spirit enters its host for the final time and binds itself to the host's very being."

I hadn't realised it, but I had been chewing my thumb. "Sounds dangerous.'

"It is. You don't know how lucky you are. That ceremony, if improperly conducted, can lead to the death of the host."

"But I didn't undergo any ceremony. How is it even in my head?"

Ve sighed and looked at me. "The Mind Weavers, while habitually ready to help the Council, generally has a tight rein on its members. Given the nature of their gifts and how dangerous it is to receive them, they like to keep family close. But every once in a while a Mind Weaver will go off the grid, or father children without realising it, or attempt to hide from their tribe because of some disagreement. However, they can't exactly restrict the movement of ancestral spirits. They do like to travel at times. So, rarely, they happen upon the descendants of these "renegades" and find them... to their liking."

"How rare exactly?"

"I can think of a few cases over the past four hundred years, but in comparison to those Mind Weavers who are trained, the number is miniscule. Though this might have something to do with the danger of trying to integrate with an untrained host."

"You said it can result in death?"

"I did. And it can. Without the proper preparation, the spirit usually has to take drastic measures to begin the integration."

"What kind of measures?"

"I don't know. It's different for every person."

"Then how can I tell?"

"Well, when did the voice start?"

"Jacob's voice? The night I realised I didn't want to be a vampire anymore."

Ve's gaze fixed on me suddenly. "What do you mean Jacob's voice?"

I jumped at how intense her voice suddenly became. "N-nothing. Just his voice."

"No. _Jacob's _voice implies differentiation. Was there another voice?"

"I didn't tell you, I thought I was hearing Ed..ward..." Her eyes scrutinised me as my stomach turned to ice and flopped over. "Oh god... Oh my god, it couldn't have been." My hand flew to my mouth.

"Bella, what was it?"

I shook my head as the tears started to flow again. "No. No, it couldn't be. It's just not possible."

"What's not possible?"

I looked up at her desperately. "After Edward left I would hear his voice."

She narrowed her eyes. "When?"

"When I was in danger. When I got on a motorcycle, or walked into a strange bar, or jumped off the... oh God, it was you, wasn't it...? Answer me!"

I waited until I heard the voice sigh from within me again.

_What do you think?_

"Just answer me."

It sighed again, still talking in Jacob's voice. _Yes. It was me._

"Why? Why make me hear him? You _knew_ what that did to me?"

_ I needed to separate your attachment from your body long enough so I could gain entrance._

I nearly choked on my next words. "You could have killed me."

_That was unlikely. I knew Jacob was on his way. You were in good hands with him._

"But Victoria was-"

It cut me off. _Not an issue. Granted the effort needed to thwart her likely would have caused partial paralysis for months, but that was an acceptable risk. And, as I said, I knew Jacob was on his way. It had to be done. I needed you to jump alone._

"If she wasn't an issue, why didn't you just kill her? Why didn't you just end this before any of those people had to die?" I asked angrily.

_You are mistaken. I wouldn't have killed her, attempting that would have likely killed you in the process. Throwing enough kinetic force at her to send her a few dozen kilometres on the other hand would only cause you serious, but repairable damage. And I didn't kill her because, unless necessary for our survival, there is no reason to cause you serious bodily harm. The pathways I would have to rip through your brain in order to kill a vampire at our present skill of interacting with each other would likely render you incapable of using anything below your neck for months, if not years. And I cannot ensure that you heal properly at this stage, nevermind the dangers of causing cardiac arrest, pulmonary edema or any other number of potentially life threatening complications from the shock of initiating such things. We are still young yet. My power may be great, but the amounts of it I can safely channel through you are tiny._

"Great. A near omnipotent thing lives inside me and I can't even use any of its power without killing myself in the process."

_Not any. Just the vast majority. And I'm far from omnipotent, but I thank you for the compliment._

I let my head fall into my hands. "I thought I was going crazy. Jake was so mad that I did those things, and now... now you're telling me something made me do them so it could "bond" with me... I can't even begin to accept this."

"Bella, it didn't have the power to choose your actions, and it still doesn't. You were put in an unfair and desperate situation, and it just managed to predict what you'd do. I really don't think you should feel duped or-"

"How the hell else should I feel? How do I even know which parts are me and which parts are him... it... whatever."

_If I may interject?_

I chuckled blackly. "Sure, why not?"

_She's right Bella. All of it is you. Even the parts that are me. It's very hard to express in words, but... my being here is more than just a foreign entity inhabiting your body. I'm now a much a part of you as your conscience or your left foot._

I sniffed. "Why me?"

_Because you were right. I have not... bonded with someone in an extremely long time. In fact, I was rather angry with how my last bonding came to an end, which is why I left the homeland. Finding you and the world you lived in made me desire to be physical again. I haven't felt any emotion besides anger in a very long time. It was fate._

"Fate is being far from fucking fair right now."

_Fate is always fair. It's just never convenient._

"How did you even know?"

_That is was fate? Because I felt I could help you. When I found you, you were curled up in a ball on the forest floor crying for that... that __**thing,**__ and I was infuriated that one of my family was jilted by one of those abominations, and worse, she was breaking because of it. My people were not meant to wallow after leeches. You were better than that, and I was going to ensure that you knew that as well._

I sighed. "You're worse than Jacob and Ve combined when it comes to vampires."

"The Mind Weavers have a... well a history with vampires."

"Oh?"

"It's not something I can explain to you. You would have to hear it from your own people. Let's just say that my grudge against them is very small compared to your tribes'."

"Just great. I'm anathema amongst my own distant relatives."

"I wouldn't take it too hard."

"I'd also like some of your coping classes, because clearly you'd handle this better than me."

Ve chuckled. "Oh, you'd be surprised." She gently laid a hand on my arm. "Are you feeling better?"

"Somewhat," I said, grudgingly.

"Good. We'll have to address this eventually though. I'll contact Tobias to come and have a look at you."

"Will I have to go to this 'Academy?'"

"You will probably want to eventually. But no. You won't be forced to. There's no hurry anyways, you have all the time in the world."

I tensed. "I have a feeling you're suggesting something."

"The powers of Mind Weavers are rather vast, but hard to master, and different for everyone. It can take anywhere from weeks to centuries of practice to do something as seemingly simple as turn water into ice by looking at it. However, keeping your body from deteriorating so you have an opportunity to learn everything? That's relatively easy for the spirit to do."

"So I'm effectively ageless?"

"Yes, unless you want to age physically. But that would just be a facade. You'd still be at the peak of health under it all."

I ran a hand through my hair. "You know, that's exactly what I gave up two weeks ago."

"No, you gave up death, not health. But I see your point. Well, he's right about fate not being convenient, I can tell you that much. It rarely does what you want when you want it to."

"No, it doesn't. It just gives me things after I'm done wanting them."

"Being ageless isn't all that horrid."

I sighed. "I know. But I was resigned. I made my choice, and I was happy to stick with it. And now the choice is getting made for me, and it all seems a bit pointless now."

"It's just one more thing you'll have to deal with little sister."

_I can't help but feel like this is my fault._

"You think?" I said, rolling my eyes.

_Well, yes. Having to deal with an imprint would have made melding with you all the more difficult. So I used what little power over fate I have to postpone it. While that was the best way suited for my purposes, it's very likely that allowing it to happen would have been easier for you._

My mouth fell open.

Ve growled and stood up. "You had no _right-"_

_You know that argument would fail with me, shapeshifter, I have as many rights as I can give myself. _Ve's growl grew as she gripped at my bed post and I could hear the wood creak beneath her hands. _There's no sense getting angry over it. What's done is done. I did not prevent it in the end, did I?_

"You best have a good reason for this."

_I do. But it's not one I can describe at this moment. I can only tell you this is how I knew it was supposed to be._

I grasped at a reason to keep my composure. "So what do we do now, Ve?"

She slammed her hand into the wood, denting it before getting up again. "I will contact Tobias and tell him to come here, which he won't be able to do for a while because of the reaver. In the meantime, I'll ready you as best I can. I warn you, there isn't much I can give you beyond explanation, and even that is sparse in comparison to what a host is usually taught. However, first, we talk to Charlie."

"Ve, I think I can handle my Dad. I mean, nothing was broken."

Ve shook her head. "I was aware of the possibility that we may have to tell him about our secrets at some point, but that time is now upon us. I've always found it better to attempt to explain this when someone is already in a good mood."

I paled. "You mean we have to tell him... everything?"

She looked at me grimly. "Considering he's partially responsible for your current condition, unintentional as it may be, yes. We have to tell him everything. This town has effectively become my base of operations, and I'm going to need an in with the local police force to keep things... smooth. Who better than your father? Since he's related to the Mind Weavers, he'll have to be made aware anyways."

I rubbed my eyes, my hope sinking at the thought of my skeptical father having to be convinced of werewolves and vampires. "Can this day possibly get any worse?"

"Not if you go to sleep. You should get some rest. I'll announce another meeting tomorrow. I'll come over and we'll break the news to your Dad before we go."

"You have a point. I think we could all use some rest after today. Goodnight-"

I turned and looked, but she had already leapt out the window.

* * *

Jacob POV

_Tap tap tap_

I groggily looked up at the clock by the table to see it read 2:37. Fuck, whatever the hell it was, it could wait.

_Tap tap tap tap tap_

Goddammit, can't a guy get some fucking sleep? I looked up to see what was making the sound, only to nearly fall off my bed as I saw Ve pressed up against my window. Fucking hell, what did I forget? I got up quickly and ran to the window, cursing under my breath.

"Fuck, I'm sorry. Whatever it is I forgot I'll make it up to the guys I was just tired."

Ve had the audacity to laugh. "You didn't forget anything."

I rubbed my eyes. "Goddammit Ve, it's nearly three in the morning."

"I know."

"What the hell could you possibly want right now?"

"First, for you to put some clothes on, we're going to meet the Cullens. We have something to discuss with them."

I rolled my eyes. "Just great, leeches at five o'clock in the fucking morning."

Ve snorted. "Don't grumble little brother, it is beneath you, and I'll make you patrol all day to show it if you keep this up."

"Fine fine, gimme a minute." I headed for my clothes.

"You might want to shower first. The last thing we need is Edward getting angry with you."

I snorted. "Like a shower would stop that."

Ve glared at me and gestured to my general lack of clothing.

"What?"

"Do I honestly have to remind you how refined their senses are? Smell for instance? Or that mine are just as good?" She gave me a knowing looking and I finally caught on.

"Oh. That." I rubbed my face and scratched my ear to distract from how red I was getting. "Well, fuck him anyway, he can be angry."

"Jacob, while I, more than anyone, know how delightful it can be to torment Cold Ones, in this case it's both petty and disrespectful to Bella. Besides, we have better things to do."

I quickly hopped into the shower, knowing that Ve didn't like to be kept waiting. This was beginning to become a habit with Ve. She had pulled all of us out of a dead sleep at one point or another to go do something with her several times before. I guessed it had something to do with seeing how we react when we're unprepared. I hadn't mentioned it to Bella since she would just insist I sleep instead of spending time with her. It never stopped being inconvenient though, and I didn't see why it so important since we killed the redheaded bitch last night.

She was tapping her foot and sitting on the windowsill when I got back. "Why does it seem like it's always me you're taking on these little night time adventures."

Ve gave me a shit-eating grin. "It is because out of everyone to pick on, you are my favourite. Now come on, before I embarrass you further."

"I'm impossible to embarrass."

"Don't be so sure. Now come on, out the window so we don't wake your father."

"Alright, alright already." I quickly threw on some clothes and hopped out the window after Ve. "So what is this even about?"

"We are going to have to reveal the Cullens to Charlie Swan?"

"Wait. Why?"

"Because it has become necessary."

"Ve, I may be entirely mistaken, but I remember killing Victoria yesterday, so I'm really not seeing why the contingency plan is "necessary" now."

"Unforeseeable circumstances have arisen."

"No offense Ve, but you're being vague as fuck."

Ve laughed. "None taken little brother, but I have to be "vague as fuck" until this is sorted. It's not for me to tell you."

That seemed strange. "If not you then...?"

"Jacob, as usual I want you to feel free to ask questions, but this has to happen in its own time. We're going to be holding an emergency council soon, it will become apparent there."

I gulped. "It's not the Volturi is it?" I remembered vividly what it was like waiting in that ditch for Edward and Alice to get rid of them so we couldn't finally get home. It wasn't fun, and I really hoped that we didn't do it for nothing.

"No. It is not them." She turned back to me with a slight smile. "It's... it is really not all that bad, little brother. Actually, it could be quite a boon. But it was surprising to say the least. And due to these circumstances, Forks finds itself being a hub for Council activities "

"So... so there's going to be more people like us here?" I grinned and Ve returned it.

"There already is."

"What? Who?"

"I said you'll see soon enough."

"Fine, fine." I hopped into her car and she backed out the driveway.

* * *

"They seem to be expecting us." I said, as we pulled into the Cullens' drive. Carlisle and the blonde were already on the porch.

"I can't imagine why. I didn't call. Perhaps they heard the car."

"I guess." I slunk out of the car, reminding myself to keep my thoughts in check.

"Carlisle," Ve said with a nod as she walked up the steps.

"Ve. Rosalie said she heard a Mustang coming our way, I thought it must be you."

"And you decided to congregate on the porch?" Ve said with a smile.

Blondie huffed. "Hardly. Alice is just... being Alice."

"I'm afraid I'm not well acquainted with the state of being Alice."

"Rosalie," warned Carlisle. "She means Alice is just over excited. It bothers her when she can't see Bella in her visions."

"Well I'm afraid she'll have to get used to it."

Blondie laughed. "That's what I told her. She can't be annoyed every time a werewolf decides to stop by Bella's and stay the night."

Carlisle brushed a hand through his hair. "Rosalie, I know you're not one for sensitivity, but-"

Blondie rolled her eyes. "I only said Dogboy over here was probably sneaking in for a late night-"

Carlisle spluttered. "Rosalie, I really don't think this is the time or place to-"

"What? If Wolfie over here wants to polish Bella's-"

"Rosalie!" I chuckled as Ve and Carlisle cut her off at the same time. Even I have to admit, they seemed similar in that moment. Eerily so.

Blondie raised her hands in defeat. "Fine, fine, but if you ask me, Alice is the one who's out of line."

"Too bad no one's asking you Blondie. And I wasn't there at two in the morning."

If I didn't know better, I'd say Rosalie almost looked disappointed. "Huh. Must have just have been a patrol. Alice will be pleased."

I shook my head. "No patrols set up at her house that I know of. And believe me, I'd know."

Carlisle sighed. "Well I'm sure there's a logical explanation for all of this anyways, Alice is just concerned, as any friend would be."

I raised my eyebrows at Carlisle. "Listen, Doc, I can't say anything about your people, but around here we're generally not concerned about failing to have visions of our friends' futures."

"You know what I mean, Jacob,"

"There is," said Ve, "and that's why I've come. We need to have a formal meeting tomorrow."

"Ve, after everything that's happened, do we really need to meet at the treaty-line to discuss something."

"No," she conceded after a moment, "You're right, there's no need to be that formal. However, there is something pertinent that needs to be discussed."

"Ve, you know that we are here at any time."

"My boys and their sister need sleep, Cullen, I can't very well pull all of them out of their beds. Sam is busy coordinating a new schedule as it is."

"Very well. Dinner, at our house?"

Ve shook her head. "No. The tribal elders will need to hear this as well. You'll have to come to their land."

"What?" I felt my eyebrows connect with my hairline. "Ve, you've got to be kidding, I don't think I can exactly put my Dad in the same room as them, he'll be stepping in line behind Harry for the next coronary."

"Jacob, do not speak ill of the dead." Ve had her "no nonsense" voice on, but I wasn't about to let up.

"I mean it Ve, you can't just rush them into this, they hated the Cullens for longer than any of the rest of us have been alive! They aren't just going to sit down and have tea with them!"

"Under normal circumstances I would agree with you Jacob, but these circumstances are not normal."

Carlisle narrowed his eyes. 'What do you mean Ve?"

"I mean the situation has changed in an unforeseeable way." Carlisle started to speak, but Ve stopped him. "Carlisle, you already know I cannot provide this information to you before the elders and start a needless fight over who I told first. But a lot of things need to be discussed anyways. The renegotiation over where your presence is allowed, the increased activity of the Council in this area, the fact that we're going to have to tell others that you're here?"

Blondie piped up at that. "Who?"

"Charlie Swan for one. He's not going to believe every cock and bull story we tell him. Contrary to popular belief, he isn't stupid. And having someone in the local police force to cover for us has been invaluable in the past."

Carlisle hesitantly nodded. "I... I can see your reasons for that."

"And yet you value your privacy?" Carlisle nodded more vigorously. "Then it is pertinent that we discuss these things."

"Of course."

"As for now, I need to speak your eldest son."

"Edward? What do you want him for?"

I could tell that Blondie was starting to grate Ve's nerves and I suppressed a snicker.

"I don't recall asking you."

"Rosalie..."

"Hey, I only said what you were thinking. I don't see why she has to keep that stick up her ass anymore either." That time I did snicker and was rewarded with an elbow to the ribs.

"Rosalie, that's enough." I looked behind Carlisle to see Edward at the door. "Ve," he said with a nod. "Jacob. You can go inside now Rose."

"No, she can stay. It's nothing she won't hear anyways." Blondie grinned at Edward and I bit my tongue to keep from laughing. "After our meeting tomorrow, I need to check in with Seattle. I'm going to be bringing some of the Pack with me, and I'd like you to accompany us. They were going to want to meet you anyways, and now is as good a time as any."

"Why me?"

"You are the most connected to what's going on here, are you not?"

"I suppose you have a point."

"Does that mean that I can't come?" I looked up to see Rosalie grinning again, and this time couldn't hold it in.

"Blondie, you are some kind of terror," I said as I laughed.

Ve shot me a look and I straightened up. "Actually, she can come. I suppose that would make you feel more comfortable. I don't suggest you bring the whole family this time though." Ve looked thoughtful for a moment before grinning, and I almost feared she was concocting something sinister until she spoke. "Bring your Emmett. He might actually enjoy this." I don't know how she managed to bond with someone over mutual threats of ass-kicking, but it was sort of awesome.

"Awesome. A field trip." Blondie grinned.

Ve narrowed her eyes at Rosalie and I groaned. "Can we please leave before she makes you punch me in the face for insubordination?"

"As you wish." Ve nodded to Carlisle before turning to me.

"Guess I win this round?" Blondie said with a smirk.

I quirked an eyebrow at her. "Who won the last round?"

Edward shuddered. "I didn't need to see him throw a towel at you, Rose."

I laughed, remembering our last pissing match. "Nope, still me."

Rosalie's smile fell. "How?"

"Easy. You made Ve hit me after fifteen minutes of being an asshole, but I caused you to make Eddie over here need a good dose of brain bleach without even trying. Which one sounds superior to you?" She stamped her foot in anger, and I knew it was time to go in for the kill. "Speaking of superiority, do you know why brunettes are better at making ice cubes?"

Blondie narrowed her eyes at me. "Why?"

"Blondes keep forgetting the recipe."

She growled. "Nothing I haven't heard before."

"Don't worry, I'll keep trying." She stormed into the house. "See you tomorrow Blondie."

"She would like me to repeat a few choice words to you, Jacob, but I'd rather not."

I chuckled. "You don't need to read minds to catch some things Edward."

"Right. Good night Jacob. But if I may ask, you will-"

"I know, make sure Bella's safe, I'm already on it," I said, cutting him off with a wave. "Don't need to read your mind to tell what you're thinking either."

"No, I guess not. I hope I'm not imposing."

"Well, you are," He looked like I just shot him. "Oh come on, all I mean is that I'm enough of an over-protective dick already, she doesn't really need both of us child-proofing her life."

"Yes. But old habits die hard."

I could have said something cruel right then. I really could have. But Ve had a point about my needing to put on the big boy pants at this point, and instead I just said, "Hey man, don't feel too bad, Charlie's probably worse than both of us. Later."

I turned and headed towards the car. "That was very mature of you, little brother."

I grinned at Ve. "Does this mean I get a cookie?"

"You wish, little brother, you wish." She pulled out of the driveway and headed back to La Push.

"So what's up with Bella?"

"What about her?"

"You heard them back there. Bella's been off Alice's radar all night, I'm not there, you're not there, I'm sure someone's been by her house since, but not for hours at a time. So what's up?"

Ve ground her teeth and I began to felt uneasy. "As I said, it's not for me to tell-"

"Don't give me that shit Ve, it wasn't for you to tell them. I'm not one of them, furthermore, I'm her imprint, so what the fuck is up?"

"Little brother, I understand your concern, but it's honestly not my story to tell."

I ran a hand through my hair. "You're just a little too unconcerned about this for my liking."

"I'm unconcerned because there's nothing wrong with her."

"Well…" I said, feeling stupid. "That would be a pretty good reason. But how do you know?"

"I was at her place shortly before I came to get you."

"So what the hell happened then?" Ve shot me a look. "Fucking hell, alright, alright, keep your goddamn secrets you infuriating-" I devolved into muttering.

Ve laughed. "Did you forget I can speak Quileute?"

"No, it's just more fun to cuss you out in two languages."

"Remind me to hit you for that later."

* * *

Bella POV

I combed through my wet hair after my hour long shower and struggled to get in my pyjamas.

"Why am I so dizzy?"

_Are you talking to me?_

I sighed. "Not directly, but if you have something to add, go on then."

_It's likely due to the bond. We are still settling in. I advise against using heavy machinery for the next day._

"If you're going to use Jacob's voice, could you at least make an effort to talk like he does?"

_Sure, sure._

I gritted my teeth. "What do you sound like anyways? You aren't actually a girl are you?"

_I neither have a voice or a gender independently of the one I affect at any given time._

"Then why Edward and Jake?"

_They're familiar to you. I suppose I more easily identify with masculine traits though. My last host was male. I'm still getting used to a female body and all of it's… intricacies._

"Do you have any idea how weird that sounds."

_Yes, but only because you do._

"So you're… rusty then?"

_You could say that._

"Well how did you sound to him then? Your last host I mean."

I was rewarded with a low, gravelly male whisper. _This is the nearest I can manage in this language._

"Wow. That's… so not working for me."

_I thought not. Would you prefer I sound like someone else?_

"I guess Jacob's fine for now." I fumbled with my sheets. "I don't even know how I'm going to break this to Charlie."

_You worry too much. Your dad loves you._

"I know that. I just don't know if he's going to love _you."_

_ He's going to have to. I'm now as much a part of you as you are now._

I finally crawled into bed, turning a few times to find a comfortable position. "Even lying down I feel like throwing up."

_I know. I don't feel very well either._

"How do you not feel well, you're the one in my body? I should be the one not feeling well."

May I demonstrate?

"Go ahead." Pins and needles shot through my arm as my hand came up to brush my hair out of my face unbidden. I jumped as it settled back down again. "Crap… just… warn me next time you're going to take control of my body, ok?"

_I did. Sort of. Anyway, did you see what I mean? I can't navigate inside your body without that annoying numbness happening._

"So we both have respective forms of motion sickness," I said plainly. "Awesome."

_It's because I had to enter you in stages. Usually the Opening of the Soul happens all at once. Our process, however, has been going on since the moment you jumped off that cliff up until tonight. You are a tough nut to crack, Bella Swan._

"Somehow, that's not reassuring."

_Don't worry. This too shall pass._

I fell silent for awhile. "I don't know if I can do this."

_I wouldn't be here if I didn't think you could._

"What's Jacob going to think?"

It… he sighed inside my head._ Not omnipotent, remember?_

"I know, but you've been pretending to be him for near a month now, maybe you have some insight I don't."

_He loves you too Bella. More than even he knows. You already know he'll accept your differences as you've accepted his. Now can we get some sleep?_

"I guess." I settled in, before the thought of sleeping reminded me of something.

"Spirit-Jacob-thingy?"

He chuckled. _Yes?_

"Did you make me have those dreams?"

_I was hacking into your psyche, it's hard to tell if the dreams about Edward leaving you were directly because of me or not._

"No, I mean the recent ones. With the fire."

It hesitated. _Those. They were because of me, I… think. But they were more premonitory than anything. I didn't mean for you have them._

"Alice will be delighted that I have something in common with her. Now, if only they were clear like hers."

_My ability to glean glimpses of the future is far less refined I'm afraid, even if I'm doing it intentionally. She deals in choice. I deal in fate. Fate may be more binding than choice, but it's far murkier than it._

"Hmm. But who was that man?"

_Which man?_

The grey-eyed Native came to my mind as if I had called him. The one that belonged to Ve and Jake… and maybe me. "_Yes, it's time,"_ he had said, as if he belonged there.

_I honestly don't know Bella. But he felt… important._

"Important…." Yes. He had felt very important.

But for what?

A/N: Before anyone asks, inspiration for the Verstandweber wasn't Meyer's other book, The Host. Haven't read it, but I can assure you, a parasitic alien with magical glitter (which is what I gather the thing is in the Host from Melina Pendulum's Youtube review. What is up with SMeyer and glitter?) isn't what's in Bella's head. Also, this has been in the works since around Chapter 3, which came out before the Host. No worries guys, I'm totally not doing some sort of crossover. Frankly, Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles gave me inspiration for the whole spirit thing more than anything.

I've been holding onto that tidbit of plot forever! It feels so good to have it out now. I hope no one minds how wordy this one was, I was really worried.

Thanks to the lovely mrscheckerbunny for the banner for this. I love it so so much!

Unalike said she needed this one to be updated, I hope she likes it!

As for music I was listening to while writing this, a whole lot of Lacuna Coil, that's what.

Alright guys, you know I love and read all my feedback, let's have it.


	13. Spill

A/N: Oooh, lots of questions, I guess I'll start with that:

notashamedtobesoilyfan: That comment, while short, might just be my favourite feedback ever. Thanks for the chuckle!

TeamJacobYeah: To oversimplify it, yes. To unsimplify it a little bit, the spirit's bonded less to her mind, that is her sense of consciousness or psyche, and more to her being or soul or whatever you'd personally like to call it. One body, two entities basically.

Ankoku Evangeline: Ehh, not everyone is going to like everything ;) The basic structure of this plan, when it started out, was to give a reason as to why Bella went more than a little crazy in New Moon other than "she loved Edward JUST THAT MUCH," since their relationship is more than a little shallow and not really worthy of mental breakdown in my opinion. So that's what I was going for. As for it abusing her and being malicious, I would have to say that the Jacob-conscience isn't particularly malicious towards Bella, it just simply works on a non-human level of morality. It's an unaging bodiless thing that frankly doesn't see the unfairness in what it's doing. The level of damage it is incurring doesn't really register for it, because it doesn't do things on our level. It doesn't care about bodily integrity because it doesn't have a body, it doesn't care about personal space because it can go anywhere it wants to, and the fact that it just tied itself to someone without asking their opinion on the matter doesn't it bother it because from where it stands, it's in both of their best interests, and that's all that really matters at this point. It swore to help Bella's ancestors and their descendants, and that's what it's doing. We'd say that Bella isn't involved and he doesn't have a right, but we don't have a memory that stretches back a few millennia and a sense of morality which is that absolute in terms of promises. It's more ignorant of human culture than consciously malicious, which is still annoying as all hell. In Twilight, SMeyers tries to give everyone something they didn't have a choice in, and I always thought Bella's (ie, she can't help but love Edward and doesn't have a choice to stop) was really damn lame. Edward and Jake are dealing with balls of self hatred over their conditions, and Bella just gets to pout over her heart making the choice for her. Really, I just wanted to give her something that deserved whining about, and get her to realise that whining isn't going to help anything when it happens. I'm glad you gave it a chance though.

mudpuddledemon: I'm glad my nonsense is at the very least entertaining XD.

little furry cannibal: On Jake's mouthyness, interestingly enough a lot of how he talks is based on my sister. She's about the nearest thing to a teenage boy I know. I'm surprised I haven't made him use her old standby "fuck my life" yet.

Enough of that already.

Bella POV:

_Everything that means something has to hurt._

I was burning again, but this time it was safely on the ground, curled in Jake's arms. We always burned now. One connected, never-ending flame.

_Everything that means something has to hurt._

The voice came again, from the tree-line. I had no desire to look up and be pulled away from my inferno, but for some reason, I looked anyways.

He was there. The strange man from before, the native with the grey eyes. He stared at us a moment, looking unsure of something. But of what, I didn't know.

"Who are you?" I asked. When he said nothing, I waved, but he didn't answer. Instead he turned and ran into the woods. Jacob dissipated in a spark of flame as I got up to run after him. "No, wait! Come back!" Again, no answer came. He just darted through the trees away from me.

My feet started to ache as the forest got increasingly more dense. I stumbled over dead branches and tree roots. "Wait for me! Where are you going? We aren't supposed to be here!"

It was true. It was cold here. Not like the beach. And the sun couldn't make it through the trees. This wasn't my place, not anymore, and it certainly wasn't his. We belonged in warmth and light. But he still didn't answer. Instead, he darted behind a redwood and out of sight.

I tried to follow, but when I got to where I last saw him, he was gone. "Please! Can't you see you're going the wrong way? We have to go back!"

There was nothing. Just an endless array of trees, slowly closing in on me, threatening to consume. I could feel the trees move, the wood crack and as the tears started to fall down my face I knew we were cut off.

"Whatever you're looking for, it's not out there! Come back!"

"Come back!" I found myself yelling as I shot up in bed. I rubbed my eyes, realising where I was, and that it was all a dream. I sighed in distaste and swung my legs off the bed, wincing as I was reminded of my sprained ankle.

_Be careful._

"I'm fine," I mumbled aloud, for no reason in particular.

_Well, you won't be if you fall._

I grumbled angrily. "Any input on what the hell that was?"

_A dream._

"Very funny."

_I told you Bella, I don't know everything._

"Yeah, yeah." I headed to the bathroom before getting dressed, following the voice's advice and being careful of my foot.

"So how are we going to explain this to Charlie?" I said, as I brushed my hair.

_I have to admit that I'm at a lost here, Bella. It's not something that usually has to be explained._

"Yeah, well, I'm sure your last host had to explain what he was to someone."

_Well yes. But that generally consisted of other supernaturals and ordinary people who fully believed in such things. Your father falls into neither of those categories._

"What did I say about having to talk like Jake if you're going to sound like him?"

He chuckled, and unlike before I felt it through my whole body._ Well in that case Bells, it's all fucked up anyways, so just try to break it to him as gently as possible and make sure he's sitting down first?_

I nearly grinned in spite of myself. "Sounds like a plan." I glanced at the clock and then panicked when I saw the time. "Why didn't you wake me up? It's nearly ten. It's a good thing he decided to take Friday off."

For _the best really, I don't think he'd be able to go into work after this._

"You have a point." I finished dressing and trudged downstairs to face the inevitable.

I found him in the kitchen with his coffee. "Hey Dad... no work today?" No sense in doing this sooner than I had to.

"I told you I didn't when I took you out for lunch on Wednesday?"

"Oh yeah," I said with a nervous laugh. "Right."

"Good thing too. Had a hell of a night last night."

My mouth went dry. "Oh?"

"Yeah. Some sort of celebration on the Reserve, tire fires going all night, and that Call kid is lucky I was in a good mood when I caught him with that case of beer. He's only seventeen." Charlie yawned and stretch.

"Sam's gonna be pissed with him I bet."

"That's the thing Bella. Sam's the one who asked me to lay off, said they were just getting carried away. I'm going to have to have a word with that boy's father, he's a fine kid but he really needs to stop acting like he runs the place."

I suppressed a giggle. "What were they celebrating?"

"Beats me. I haven't seen them like this since the Cullens moved to Los Angeles. Which only makes this all weirder, because Emmett Cullen and Rosalie Hale were at the bonfires before I sent them home."

My eyebrows flew up. Whatever happened, I really hoped Dad hadn't walked into them disposing of the vampire corpses, because that just added a whole new level of weird to this. "Well... at least they're getting along?"

He looked at me for a moment, almost suspicious before nodding. "I guess there's that."

I smiled nervously. Good old, unsuspecting Charlie. Boy, was he in for a big surprise. "So Dad, I was thinking, why don't we have lunch with Ve today? She asked how you were yesterday?"

Charlie smiled. "Well that was nice of her. What did she have in mind?"

"Uhhhh, why not here? We have a full fridge, don't we? I can do sandwiches."

He went back to his paper. "Sounds good Bella."

I suddenly realised what it was to be Jacob and his brothers. Charlie was a simple guy. Not to say he was stupid, but he was as laid back as they come, provided you didn't mess with his daughter or his sports. Most of Pack's family members that I had met were like him, easy to get along with, personable, just good company to be around even if you didn't have much in common with them. And yet, one by one they had to have this explained to them. The life we lead can only make a person high strung, and it didn't seem fair to bring anyone else into it. Especially since it had killed one of them. But I guess that, in a way, he was already part of it. I sighed as I called up Ve and told her to come over before I started pulling out the lettuce and tomato.

_You going to be ok?_

I don't know, is it safe for your heart to beat two hundred times a minute?

The response I got was a chuckle.

Yeah, I thought grudgingly as I began chopping. That's what I thought.

* * *

Her car pulled up just as I was finishing with the mayo. I let Dad get the door.

"Morning, Ve."

"Good morning to you, Chief Swan."

"I told you, call me Charlie."

"If you say so."

"I think Bella was just finishing up, why don't you come in?"

I could feel my hands begin to twitch, and struggled to calm myself as Ve walked into the kitchen. "Need any help Bella?"

"What?" I jolted out of my trance. "Oh, no, I'm done. It's just sandwiches. We had some roast beef and turkey and I made some quick egg salad." I realised my hands were trembling, so I stuffed them in my pockets. "Nothing you don't like, right?"

"Nothing at all." From the look she gave me I could tell she knew I was nervous.

"Right." I busied myself with plates before I found Ve stepping in front of me to get the cups.

"Get a hold of yourself little sister, before you drop something," she whispered.

I leaned in close to whisper back. "You'll... you'll whammy me with that courage blessing thing the Council taught you, right? I mean, if I start to slip."

She raised her eyebrows at me. "Is that what you really want me to do?" she said with a lowered voice.

I bit my lip and nodded.

"Perhaps I should do most of the talking then."

"Yeah, that's probably the best way to do things."

We all took our places at the table, and ludicrously enough I was relieved to see Ve dig right in. She couldn't speak while she was eating, right?

"So how have things been with you, Ve."

Dammit, Dad.

"Good. Interesting, but mostly good." She grinned at Charlie. I fidgeted in my seat, but let her do the talking like we agreed.

"That's good to hear. Not hoping to leave us soon are you? I know I don't like to impress myself on family member's hospitality for too long myself, but they've told me they love having you here."

"Oh, I don't think you have to worry about me disappearing anytime soon Charlie. I don't plan to leave for quite a while."

"Good, good. Sam's been quite the role model to begin with, but Billy's told me you've been a great help in getting his son's butt in gear. Though I have to admit, his friends probably need it more than he does, Jake's always been a good kid."

"One of the best."

Charlie laughed. "Harry always said all those kids needed was a few role models their own age. What are you, twenty three? Twenty-four?"

My fork dropped as I looked over to see Ve grinning again. "A bit older."

"Really? You don't look a day older than Bella."

"Good genes." I coughed as she said that.

"Bella are you ok?"

"Just fine, Dad."

"Well slow down, no need to eat the whole thing at once." My heart stopped beating erratically as he turned back to his roast beef sandwich, but it wasn't long before he was asking questions again. "So what were you guys celebrating last night?"

"Oh, that. A victory of sorts. I'll talk to them about toning it down."

He nodded. "Nothing wrong with celebrating, but I can't have a bunch of teenage boys lugging beer across the reserve and expect me to do nothing about it."

"Of course."

"So what did they win? I don't remember Billy saying anything about any sports championships at the high school."

"Wasn't really that kind of victory, Dad." I said, finding my voice finally.

"Indeed," said Ve as she piled more sandwich halves onto her plate.

Charlie looked between us for a moment before speaking again. "Well?"

"Uh, well what, Dad?"

"Well, what kind of victory was it."

I gulped. "Well... uh... more the... personal kind?"

Charlie gave me a funny look. "Personal kind? Like individual instead of teams?"

I put my sandwich down and rubbed my forehead. "No, not that. It's uh... well it's hard to explain."

"More like the battle kind of victory, she means," said Ve without even looking up from her plate.

I felt a knot begin to form in my chest as Charlie's brows knit together. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well you know," I said, stuttering. "Battles, like where two sides meet on a field... of battle, I'd guess you'd call it." Try as I may, nothing was coming out simple. "And one side, err, loses."

"I see." I reached for my orange juice and took a long gulp as I could see the gears working in my father's head. "Is this some sort of... cultural activity? Like a holiday?"

"Yes!" I said, perhaps too fast. "You could definitely call it a cultural activity." It was so much easier to talk when I technically wasn't lying.

"I see."

"How much do you know about Quileute culture, Charlie?" Ve said, finally piping up again.

"Some. Not as much as I'd like to, I'll have to admit. Don't really have the head for that kind of thing though. History was never one of my best subjects."

"Pity. Do you know the origin story of the Quileute."

"Something to do with animals becoming people or vice versa. It's not like Billy goes into great detail on our fishing trips. Is that what this 'battle' was about? Commemoration of something?" He said in between bites.

"N-no, Dad. It was more an actual fight."

Charlie swallowed his mouthful. "Just what in the hell did those boys get up to last night, and how do you know about it Bella?"

I rubbed my temple. "It's complicated."

"Did you get hurt out there? If I find out Carlisle lied to me about you falling out of a tree, I swear Bella-"

"No Dad," I said, cutting him off. "That part actually happened. I did fall out of a tree. It's just I only fell out of it because it got knocked down."

"...So those boys... knocked down a tree... in some sort of battle last night?"

I bit my bottom lip. "Mm-hmm." I watched as Charlie pursed his lips before putting down his coffee cup.

"That settles it, I'm having a talk with Billy about this as soon as we're done here, and frankly Ve, I'm surprised you let this go on."

"In my defense sir, there wasn't much of a choice."

"Bullcrap, what possible reason would you have to let those kids go out and fight in the woods?"

I moved my food around my plate as I whispered, "Vampires," under my breath.

"What was that young lady?"

"I said... I said vampires, Dad."

Charlie looked at me as if I had three eyes before laughing aloud in what some would call a 'guffaw'. "Oh Bella, I think you've been spending a little too much time listening to Old Quil's stories. Not that he isn't a valued member of the community, but his stories are more than a little outlandish." He took a drink of his coffee, chuckling.

I cleared my throat and gripped my utensils, trying to steady myself. "No Dad. They aren't outlandish." My eyes scanned the room for a moment to stall. "And how do you know about Quil Sr's stories?"

Charlie laughed. "Bella, a lot of people were mad when the Cullens moved here and started to redevelop land in the forest. They were worried about encroachment on their territory. A few of the elders went so far to compare it to their legends, but that's all it was. A bunch of stories told to children to instil some cultural pride in them. I've had this talk with Billy half a dozen times now Bella and I think he's frankly going to be disappointed in you guys for using those stories to stage some sort of war game in the woods. That's not what they're for."

"Dad... they aren't just stories, they're... histories. It might not be your best subject, but it's true."

Charlie shook his head, still laughing "I'd like to see you prove that one Bella. That would be one to see, human beings pulling on animal cloaks and fighting against, what was it? Jack Frost and his wife?"

"Would you really Charlie?" said Ve, looking deadly serious.

"Would I what?" he replied, finishing his coffee.

"Would you really like to see Bella prove what she's talking about?"

Charlie started laughing again until we didn't join him. "You... you two are serious about this, aren't you? Well why not. It's not every day I get to see the impossible."

Ve grinned wickedly. "Well that's true enough. Bella?"

I looked between them nervously before admitting defeat. "Fine, just… do it like ripping off a band-aid why don't you? But I swear Ve, if something goes wrong, I just don't know what I'll do with myself."

"You worry too much little sister, your father is made of stronger stuff."

"You bet I am," said Charlie, still thinking we were pulling one over on him. "Hang on, I'm gonna need more coffee for this."

"That's fine Dad, just meet us in the back yard." I rushed out of the house, Ve in tow. "Ve! This. Is. Insane! He's going to freak out when he sees you... sees you... you know!" I was positively panicking at this point. "He's never going to recover from this! I'm going to have to play pinochle in a loony bin with him for the rest of his natural life! And that's only if he doesn't keel over dead first! How am I going to explain this to Mom?"

"Bella, relax. You don't know that, and there's no sense worrying about it. It has to be done, one way or another, and frankly, there's no easy way to get it done."

"Fine, but if he goes round the twist over this, you're paying his therapy bills!"

Charlie chose that moment to walk out of the house. "Well girls, are we ready for this magic show?"

I groaned. "As I'll ever be."

"Well where's the magical human-animal hybrid then?"

"Right over there," I said, half-heartedly gesturing to Ve.

Charlie nearly keeled over with laugh. "Ve? Ve's going to turn into an animal? What kind of sucker do you take me for, Bella?"

"The one that's about to crap his pants," I muttered under my breath. "Well Ve, this was your bright idea, so go on. Irreparably scar my father. I mean, I only have one, so it's not like its rare or anything."

Ve smirked. "I trust you won't charge me for indecency, Chief Swan?"

"What? Oh, no, of course not, I mean it only makes sense that you have to take off your clothes to turn into an animal."

"Very well then. I suggest standing back." She moved to just inside the tree line, so the neighbours couldn't see, and turned away from us.

"Alright, you got me out here. Who's going to jump out of bushes?"

"No one, Dad." I said as I began to hyperventilate.

"No seriously, is Jake back there?"

"No, he's really not." With that Ve took off her shirt and began unbuckling her pants.

I could feel Charlie blush from beside me. He coughed nervously. "Guys, I think we've taken this far enough."

"Oh no Charlie, we haven't," Ve said as she pushed down her pants and I tried to suppress the urge to get my father out of there before his life came shattering down around his ears. "In fact, there's only one place to take it from here. The logical conclusion."

And with that, I watched as a ripple went through Ve's body and she exploded out of her skin into her giant white wolf. She turned to face us in her other form and gave a small bark, nothing like the howling claps she aimed at Emmett on the treaty line (or that would alert the neighbours for that matter), but it left an impression.

I winced and turned to face Charlie, expecting the worst. He stared dumb-founded at her, eyes wide and mouth opened as his coffee cup landed with a thud on the soft ground, spilling its contents. And he stayed frozen like that for several minutes, like a statue.

I was thankful that Ve didn't move any closer, because if I didn't know better, I would say that Charlie's heart had stopped. He was the caricature of astonishment.

"Dad? Are you ok? Dad? Oh, please answer." I gave up trying to talk him out of his trance and tugged on his arm. "Come on Dad, say something."

His mouth moved, but no sound came out and finally he brushed a shaking hand through his hair. "She just... she just... Poof."

Poof. The understatement of the year. "Yeah Dad, I know. She 'poofed', but can you please just let me know you're ok and not mildly catatonic."

He looked between Ve and myself once more, again trying to speak before what had to have been instincts got the better of him. He pivoted sharply and turned around, marching with purpose back into the confines of the house, not having enough wits about him to pick up his coffee cup or even shut the door.

I kneeled down to get the cup for him as Ve came up behind me, pulling her clothes back on. "You broke my father!" I ground out at her.

"Nonsense. He'll be fine. He just needs a little time."

"A little time?" I said, becoming agitated.

"Yes, little sister," Ve said with her trademark smirk. "A little time, and a lot of whiskey."

I stared at her angrily before marching inside after him.

* * *

When we got back in the house, Charlie was already working on the whiskey part of Ve's equation. We found him at the kitchen table, bottle in hand. He had remembered to grab a glass, but hadn't remembered to use it. I carefully sat down across from him as Ve leaned against the kitchen counter.

"Dad?"

It took a moment before he said anything. "She turned into a wolf."

I brushed a hand through my hair. "Yeah Dad, she did."

"Honey, I don't think you're grasping the severity of this. She _turned_ into a _wolf."_

I grimaced laughter starting wringing through my head. "I saw it too Dad." And you need to stop that, you disembodied asshole.

_I can't. It's just… your Dad's too funny Bells. 'She turned into a wolf!' Gods, we're so keeping him._

I chose to be nice, since it was at least making an effort to sound like Jake, even if it was deciding to sound like Jake when he's being an insufferable dick.

Charlie snorted in response before taking a large gulp. "So is this a regular occurrence for you or something? Do you know a lot of people who turn into wolves and I've just failed to notice?"

I bowed my head a bit my lip, nodding only very slightly.

Charlie had the decency to laugh. "Of course you do Bella. Of course you do. So who else?"

I swallowed, my throat suddenly going dry. "Uh… Sam."

_"Sam Uley_ can turn into a wolf?"

"Yeah, Dad, he can."

"Like Ve can? Because that was the biggest f..fricking wolf I've ever seen."

That was a hopeful sign. Charlie had a thing about harsh swearing around women, and if he was keeping that up, he was at the very least sane. "It's a little different from Ve, but basically, yeah."

"Different."

"He's, um… well he's black for starters."

"Sam's larger, and has a greater potential for strength than I do, it's a slight breed difference." Ve had finally chosen to speak up.

Charlie looked up at her, wild eyed. "You're a different _breed?"_

I tried to calm the situation a bit. "Well, she's not strictly Quileute, so yeah, but it's no big deal Dad, honest."

"So there are, potentially, other people, out there, somewhere, who can also turn into wolves."

"Y-yeah Dad."

"More than you'd think." I shot Ve a dirty look.

"Well at least the entire goddamn world is insane and not just Forks."

I leaned forward, covering my face with my hands. "You have no idea."

"I'm kind of starting to realise this, Bells." Charlie rubbed his eyes and, finally remembering the glass, poured himself a large drink. "So Sam and Ve… who else?"

I sat back up, slowly. "Embry Call. Quil Jr. Their friends Jared and Paul…" I nervously bit my lip. "…Jake."

"Your boyfriend can turn into a wolf?"

I nodded.

"Well that's just… I honestly don't know what that is Bella, what am I supposed to say to this?"

"Well uh… you could say that it's nice he's protecting people?"

"Protecting… they protect people?"

"It's our singular purpose, Mr. Swan."

"Oh for chrissakes Ve, I've seen you turn into a goddamn wolf, I think we're well past Mr. Swan."

Ve grinned. "Just checking, Charlie."

"Anyone else? Does Billy turn into a wolf, I mean my best friend's obviously been keeping some secrets from me, so why not?"

"No no, Billy doesn't. Just a good chunk of the teenage population." I put my hand on his arm, trying to be supportive.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Can _you?"_

I choked. "Me? No… me, it's," I laughed nervously. "It's… more a hereditary thing, I mean… Me? That would be _insane."_ I found my forgotten glass of orange juice and took a long swallow. "I can't turn into anything."

_Strictly speaking, you know that's not true Bella..._

Shut. Up.

"If it's hereditary, then what about Billy?"

"It sometimes… skips a generation." I began to pay very close attention to the table cloth.

"She means that the Quileute only spawn shapeshifters when a threat is present."

"A threat… so last night?"

"We defeated that threat."

Charlie took another drink. "Well… anything to make my job easier I guess."

"I think you have a point there Dad," I said, trying to veer the conversation as far away from me as possible. "We have to focus on the positives. The monster wolves in the forest are the good guys, and… you don't have to worry about hikers getting killed anymore."

Charlie nodded. I think he was as desperate to cling to some part of this that made sense for him as I was. "So I take it the Cullens are another breed, right? I mean, that's why they were there last night, right?"

"Oh no, Charlie, the Cullens are quite a horse of a different colour."

"Don't tell me they can turn into horses, Ve. Please don't tell me they can turn into horses."

I pushed the mental image of Edward turning into a horse out of my mind and tried to press on. "No Dad. They can't turn into horses."

"It would be better if they did," Ve said with a sneer.

"Ve, this is no time for that, please," I asked, pleading her.

"Fine, but he's going to have to know anyways."

"What do I have to know?"

"Dad… there's no real easy way to put this. So I'm just going to say it." I gulped. "The Cullens are vampires."

Charlie stared at me a moment, dumbfounded, before looking down at the bottle. "I'm going to need a bigger glass."

* * *

Jake POV

"Sam, I'm saying this from a place of love, but you are fucking crazy." Quil shook his head as he paced through Emily's living room. "There is no way in hell you're getting my father or any of the rest of the elders out there for a Leech Luncheon, what the hell is wrong with you?"

Quil was usually the laid back one, but these were not laid back times, and I couldn't help but agree with him.

"I told you Quil, it's not my idea. Ve says something's up, and she needs to discuss it with all of us."

"What the hell is that important?" The arm of the couch creaked under Paul's grip.

"She didn't say, but Jake says it's important."

I nodded. "It's important enough that she's going to tell Charlie about us."

"Does this mean he's not going to take my beer anymore?" Sam stared daggers at Embry. "Fine, sheesh, I was just asking."

"Call's idiocy aside, we're going to have to get them out there. This is as close as we're going to get to a truce with them, I bet, so it's important. Besides, Jake says there's something Ve's refused to tell us until we're all together."

"So she doesn't trust us now?"

"Oh shut up Paul, we all know that isn't it, and you being a dumbass isn't going to help us any," Leah said, laying her feet on the coffee table.

"Thanks Leah."

"Don't fucking thank me Sam," she said, glaring up at him. "Just because I know the truth of the situation doesn't meant I like it. I'm with Quil, this idea is just about the shittiest one I ever heard."

Sam sighed. I could tell he was gearing up for another edition of 'Inter-pack Drama With Leah.' Fuck, here we go again. "Leah, I know it sounds bad, but-"

"But fucking nothing, _Alpha,_ it's shitty. How many of them have actually had to deal with the leeches before? Two, maybe three? I know Billy's seen them, and my Dad had to talk to them being a doctor and all, but what the fuck are a bunch of middle aged people really going to do when they come face to face with something they've feared for their entire life."

That stopped Sam in his tracks. "Leah, please."

"Begging's not going to help any of us, we all know you're asking them to go through the same sort of crap that killed my father, and guess what? We aren't happy about it. Are you really surprised?"

Sam uncharacteristically growled. "Do you honestly think she'd ask for this if it wasn't necessary?"

Leah ground her teeth, refusing to look up at him. "And how is that supposed to be anything but terrifying?"

Seth nodded. "We don't even know why it's necessary, Sam." Colin and Brady were sitting next to him, looking near to shitting themselves as is. Damn if Ve didn't know how to put us on edge.

"I know we don't Seth, and I don't want to cause anyone more pain than I have to, you know that Leah."

"Oh for fuck sakes, Sam, I know, don't get all wishy-washy on me, all I'm saying is they have a right to think you're fucking nuts."

"They do," I said, deciding to finally speak up. "But something's going on here all the same. Were any of you at Bella's around two last night?"

"You mean you weren't? Love 'em and leave 'em, eh Black?" Embry said, giving me a shit eating grin. The entire pack erupted into cat calls and whistles around me as I fired my pop can at Embry's head. "Son of a bitch, Jake!"

"You deserved that one, asshole, talk about my girlfriend in various states of undress again and I'll make sure the next one goes through your skull."

_"Jake,_ back down. _Embry,_ mind your manners." I felt the familiar tingle of Sam's orders go down my spine and could tell Embry was feeling the same. "Everyone else, answer him."

They all confirmed what I already knew. No one was there.

"I thought we didn't have to baby sit her anymore, anyways," Paul said, in his ever annoying ability to say the least appropriate thing at the time.

"That's beside the point," I said with a growl. "According to the little annoying one, she hasn't been able to see Bella's future since 2 am. That usually only happens when she's around one of us, and since she's wasn't something's up."

Quil sat down with a sigh. "I should have known. That girl's a shit magnet." I glared at him. "What? Jake, you know I consider Bella to be a sister, and deeply, _deeply_ admire her skills in the kitchen." He put a hand on his chest in mock sincerity. "But trouble follows her like she owes it money."

He may have had a point, but I'll be damned if I was admitting it.

"So now that we know why this is happening how do we make it better?" asked Jared.

Leah shrugged. "Let 'em bring shotguns."

"Did you skip Vampires 101 or something, Clearwater?" said Embry, snorting. "Shotguns ain't gonna do shit."

"I know that, idiot. But it might make them feel better about it."

"Oh… right."

"If you're done sticking your foot in your mouth Embry," Sam said, clenching his fists, "yes, that's a viable option, but I don't know how the Cullens are going to take it."

"The fuck does that matter Sam? The way I see it, our mothers and fathers can't hurt the bloodsuckers, and everyone knows it, just like they all know the bloodsuckers _can_ hurt them. The Cullens aren't the ones we need to be worrying about. If that's what they need to make it out there, then let 'em. Besides, you and me both know the only way your father is going to willingly meet a leech is with rifle in hand."

Sam gritted his teeth. "You got me there, Leah. Fine. Anyone else have any problems?"

"What about imprints?" asked Jared anxiously.

"I don't think anyone expects you to bring Kim." Jared sighed with relief. "I'm not bringing Emily."

"Are you kidding? I'm not missing this for the world."

"Emily-" Sam started.

"Sit the fuck down, Uley, I don't care if you are Alpha, if she says she's going, she's going." Leah got up and moved to Emily's side. "She got along fine with Blondie and Meathead last night, which was your idea by the way, so you're too late to go telling her not to hang out with vamps now.

"I think it's time we left," Quil said, leaning in towards Embry.

"Yep, the women are turning on us."

"Leah, I can't just-"

"If you think there's anyway you can win on this, Alpha powers or no, you're dumber than I thought Sam. If you're worried about her getting hurt, why in the hell are we letting Old Quil go out there?"

Emily nodded beside Leah and I had a strong urge to laugh, but managed to keep it under wraps. Sam didn't stand a chance, and it was clear he knew it from how he was rubbing his hand through his hair. "I don't see why she has to come anyways."

"Isn't it clear? She wants to get a good look at the red-headed freak Bella used to date."

I rolled my eyes. "What's to see, he has weird hair, he talks like he's got a stick up his ass and he's probably going to say something really stupid concerning safety and werewolves that's only going to make you a thousand times angrier with Emily there." I could feel Sam's icy glare from across the room. "You know I ain't saying nothing that isn't true Sam."

"I'm sure he knows his manners," Emily said.

Leah rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure we'll all be really good friends with rainbows and kittens and shit. Dream on, Em. Rosalie and Emmett, much as I hate to admit it, are alright folk. But him and the dwarf are assholes, plain and simple, and meddling assholes at that. I still got aches from that night I had to play Bella's goalie."

"Oh, you do not-"

"Shut _up_ Call." Embry backed down as Sam stared at him. "I still don't understand what part of 'this is not a democracy' you don't get Leah, but fine. Emily can come. But if you so much as smirk at me for that I'm running you on double patrols for a month."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Boss." Leah some how managed to keep her mouth straight, but I could tell from the look in her eyes that she had won tonight's pissing contest. "So can we go get this catastrophe over with now?"

Sam nodded. "Jake and I will figure out how we're going to get everyone there, the rest of you go inform the Elder's what we have to do. Everyone got that?"

"Yep," Quil said, hopping off the couch. "Go cause moral panic to the masses, got it."

"And be _polite."_ Sam growled out the last word.

"Are we anything but?" Embry said with a smirk, until I threw Paul's soda can at his head.

"Goddammit!"

"You deserved that one too."

Sam finally found it in him to smile. "He's right. You did. Now get going."

* * *

Bella POV

Charlie stared down at the empty glass, his expression unreadable. "So, you mean to tell me that, not only are all kinds of monsters real, one of them is in my daughter's head? Because of me?"

I sighed. "Dad, it's not like that. It's not your fault. It's not like you chose your parents, or who their parents were. And it's not like you asked our…" I took a gulp of my orange juice to steady my nerves. "Ancestral guardian spirits to come here and take up residence in my brain. And, in all honesty, compared to the numerous death threats and attempted murders, it's not the worst thing to happen to me this year." I tried to smile but I could tell it was coming off as awkward.

Charlie stared at me a moment, and then poured himself another drink.

I rubbed my forehead. "Yeah, maybe that wasn't the best way of putting things."

"No kidding." Charlie motioned for Ve to sit back down. She walked over and stood behind her chair. "So why now? I mean, you seem to have been getting off scot-free in all this, why tell me about this now? This vampire war-thing is over, you've worked things out with the Cullens, and while I don't like what happened to Bella, she's not too worse for wear. Why now?" I began to observe my glass closely as Ve spoke.

"Because that wasn't the war. That was a battle. The war's yet to come."

Charlie looked Ve over. "I think it's about time you tell me why you're really here Ve."

"We told you of Edward's foolishness in Italy, yes?" Charlie gripped his glass tighter and nodded. "Well, he got into more foolishness then we originally said."

I could see Charlie's throat tighten from here. "Go on."

"You have to understand Charlie, vampires are territorial. Habitually untrustworthy, aside from a few select individuals, so they usually travel in small packs. There is no 'Grand Vampire Parliament,' nothing like the Great Council. However, the Volturi, like we said, likes to at least think it holds power over the rest of the vampire world. For the most part, it's true. They are one of the most powerful covens in the world, and have convinced most of the others that they're the _most_ powerful. As for the covens that may challenge the Volturi in terms of power, they are hiding, fearing being hunted down. Because if nothing else, the Volturi are good at what they do, and what they do is take power. They have killed countless members of their own kind to ensure their supremacy. Two millennia ago they nearly wiped out the neighbouring coven, save for two members. This is their method, kill off the 'unnecessaries' and try to force the remaining to be ingratiated to them for letting them live. It didn't work with the Romanian coven, they've been informing against the Volturi to Council operatives for generations, though they don't quite know who they're informing to." She gave me a wink. "I've seen it happen time and time again. Three hundred and fifty years ago, I was part of an operation to take out a coven in southern Germany. They had been warring with the Volturi for near on a century, and were weakened. Easy pickings."

Something was wrong with the look that was in Ve's eyes. They always looked ancient to me, but I had never seen them contain such… fire. I had seen her angry before, but this was something more. If I didn't know better I would say she almost looked lost.

"Go on," my father prompted after a beat of silence.

"When we broke through their defences, one of their members betrayed the coven to the Volturi. The Volturi in turn thought it would be easy pickings, they would let us kill off the more threatening members of the coven, and then they would swoop in and save the rest. New allies for them, and a chance to kill off some shapeshifters and other 'undesirables' for their… trouble."

I tensed. "I don't like where this is going."

"With good reason little sister. What was supposed to be a lightning strike turned into a massacre. We lost a lot of good soldiers that day..." Her gaze wavered. For only a moment, the habitual fire in her eyes, the essence that with a look could terrify or calm, was gone. "A lot of good..." She gripped the chair before finally sitting down.

I don't think I had ever seen Ve look that... vulnerable? No, that wasn't the right word. Approachable maybe. Or defenceless. Ve made a practice of using the mystique we put around her to her advantage, making us all sure that we knew who was the boss. Now she looked almost like one of us. No older than me, in fact. She must have stopped aging in her late teens or early twenties. Her tacit invincibility drifted away as I suddenly realised what she was talking about.

"Your son. You lost your son in that battle. That's why you want to take down the Volturi so bad. They took your son."

She took a long swallow of juice before talking again. "They took my Ragni, yes. He... and so much more." I moved to touch her arm, to give her some sort of comfort, but, before I could she got up again, walking to the other side of the kitchen. When she turned back around, her mask had fallen into place again.

Charlie gulped. "Ve, that's just... losing a child is a type of horrible I thankfully haven't had to experience, so I hope you won't find it insensitive when I point out that you still haven't answered my question. I can see why you want to get those Italian bastards, but why here? And what does it have to do with Edward going to Italy?"

"Like I said, he got into more foolishness than was originally thought. I suppose his sister Alice is just as much to blame, since she brought Bella there, but he was the core reason. The effects of your bloodline were in Bella even before she became a Mind Weaver. Certain vampiric abilities fail on her, and that is a most treasured gift to have, especially for a mortal. She is a curiosity to them. A... potential new ally. And, once exposed to them, the Volturi wanted to collect her. Or at the very least, see her become a vampire.

Charlie stopped moving completely, appearing to have even stopped breathing for a moment. "They... they were going to kill her. Make her one of... Oh God." He got up, finding it his turn to pace around the kitchen.

"Dad..." I cautioned, watching him become suddenly enraged as he circled the floor.

"They are to _never_ come here again, do you hear me? I don't want to see them again. I don't even want you to be _around_ them."

"Dad, they never meant to-"

"I don't care _what_ they meant, Isabella Swan, they almost got you killed!"

I felt tears scorch down my cheeks. "It's not like that Dad, I... I wanted to... I wanted them to." The last of my words faded into a whisper.

"You _what?"_

"I wanted them to."

"You wanted... you wanted? You fucking wanted them to..." I sat up straight with shock with Charlie's word choice, feeling my gut wrench with guilt. "What is wrong with you? What in the hell did we ever... how could you _ever_ be that selfish? Did you even think for a moment what that would do to you mother? To me? You were honestly going to choose them over us? Choose wanting to kill people and never growing up over your own parents? How long?" I winced. He was shouting now. "How long was it going to be until you had to fake your death, or go missing or whatever bullshit plan they put you up to? How long until you broke your mother's heart?"

I felt fear, real fear shoot down my spine as I looked into his eyes, seeing the beginning of tears. "I-I don't know. I didn't think-"

"It's obvious you didn't think Bella, or you might have thought about how torn up we would have been about this."

"I'm sorry!" I said, choking back a sob.

"Sorry can't even begin to cut it. You tell them to get the hell out of your life, I swear if I _ever_ see one of them again-"

"Charlie, that is not a wise course of action," Ve interjected.

"They were going to kill my only daughter!" he said, turning on her.

"And I assure you, if one of them ever steps a foot out of line, I will make sure that you, personally, get to set the bonfire that ends their existence. But they've offered to kill their own kind to make up for their mistakes, and they have a pre-existing treaty with the Quileute."

"Besides Dad, you're being unfair-"

Ve's head snapped towards me and I knew immediately to stop talking. "Oh no, Bella. He's not being unfair. I know you have only ever seen the good side of the Cullens, and continue to insist that they only have one side to them, but with my centuries of experience, all I can tell you is that you are wrong. Even about them. This is what vampires do. They cause strife. They worm their way into situations that favour them. They seduce, and then, they destroy. This is just the first time you're getting to see that from them. It's clear enough that your departure would have destroyed your father. It is a lesser destruction than Cold Ones usually leave in their wake, but it is destruction all the same."

"But Ve..."

Her eyes softened. "I hate them. Is that what you want to hear? I have an unreasonable hatred of vampires, I will admit it. But I will temper that admittance with the fact that they have killed or maimed countless numbers of my people, my own children and very possibly my husband included." I again found myself speechless. _Luka._ She had refused to discuss him further before, and I found the possibility that she didn't know how, or even _where,_ he was hearbreaking. "And I will even admit that the Cullens are possibly the finest, most upstanding example of vampires I have ever seen, but that still only sets them first among torturers, murderers, and harbingers of genocide. Seven good examples of their kind do not make up for any of the killings. And it doesn't make up for any of their own, personal wrongs. I'm still not entirely convinced Alice didn't take you to Italy to make it necessary that they turn you. It is common place for vampires to take on human help. Humans can move through places they cannot, be it air ports with heat scanners or convincing others into their lair in broad daylight. They are often not turned unless they show some promise. Once Alice delivered you to Aro, your fate was sealed. Perhaps it was just a coincidence, and she was only trying to save her brother, but it was a fairly convenient way to force his hand. Either way, your father has every reason to be upset at them. Even to hate them."

My throat went dry. "I just... don't want him to become you." My hand flew to my mouth, the words escaping without meaning to.

Ve smiled, a sad light to her eyes. "No, little sister. It is alright. It was well said. Do not be ashamed. Believe it or not, I don't want him to become like me either. Being consumed by hate is hard enough to deal with personally; you don't tend to wish it on other people. Which is why, Charlie-" she turned to him, "you will rely on your own experiences with them, and judge for yourself. I know Edward does not seem a prize right now, but even I can see that his father is a good man for saving lives." Charlie's shoulder's fell as he accepted what she said. "But I ask you, Bella," she turned back to me, "to accept that I have to refer to my own experiences in judging them. And they are near uniformly abysmal."

I nodded, grudgingly.

"Now that everything's been laid out, can you agree to back us up Charlie?"

Charlie nodded. "So long as you get the bastards who are after my daughter."

Ve smiled. "That's exactly what I intend to do. And I have an idea as to how you can help us. But we'll get to that later. We have a meeting to attend. Are you capable of attending Charlie, or would you prefer to be filled in later?"

Charlie finally sat back down. "I honestly don't know if I can look at the Cullens right now, knowing what I know."

"Well, we do not have to go just yet. Why don't you go walk some of that whiskey off, Bella and I will wash up."

"Ve, I know when I'm drunk-"

"Then walk some of that emotion off. What I'm saying, Chief, is _take a walk."_

Charlie ground his teeth at being told what to do by someone who looked half his age, but he nodded and left the kitchen. I began to gather up dishes as Ve pushed the chairs in. I watched her, searching for something to say.

"Ve," I said, finally "about Luka-"

She raised her hand to stop me. "Not now little sister. Later...sometime soon I promise. But just not right now."

I nodded and got back to cleaning.

* * *

"Did I just hear a car pull up?"

Ve nodded, not bothering to look up from the news paper she started reading as we finished the dishes. Sam had called earlier, letting us know that he was sending Jake to pick us up. I busied myself getting my purse. Charlie still wasn't home yet, so I penned a quick note and stuck it to the fridge, being sure to mention where the treaty line actually was.

I looked out the living room window and groaned. "Why is Edward with him?"

Ve got up and was by my side in a heartbeat. "I do not know. But I do not think it was a good idea."

"At least he's waiting by the car." Ve walked back to the kitchen to gather her things. I smiled as Jake knocked on the door.

"Hey beautiful." I felt myself relax as I opened the door and slid my hands around Jake's waist, kissing him gently.

"Hey. Sam told us you were coming, but he didn't mention Edward."

Jake rolled his eyes. "It's the pixie. She's working herself into a fit over her power or whatever not working, and as a show of good faith, Sam told me to bring one of them with me to get you so she would stop pitching a fit. And there was no way in hell I was taking her small ass, so Edward volunteered."

I sighed. "I had hoped things would have gotten better after you guys had to work together."

He hugged me tighter. "I know honey, I know."

"What's wrong with her powers anyways?"

Jake shrugged. "She hasn't been able to see your future since this morning and she's freaking out over it. Ve confirmed none of us were here at the time, so I don't know what's going on. What I do know is that Ve knows something she's not letting on. You don't happen to know anything about this, do you?"

I gulped. Well, it's not like I could particularly keep it a secret, the meeting today was entirely about _me._ "Yeah, sorta."

Jake raised an eyebrow. "Sorta."

"More like completely. It's kind of hard to explain just now. Maybe we should wait for this whole meeting…thing."

Jake sat down and swept a hand through his hair. "Bella…"

"Well it's not like you told me right away about the whole… werewolf thing."

"Bells, you knew I couldn't."

I bit my thumb. "I know, I know. I'm just kind of hoping it all goes away."

_I'm not going anywhere, Bells._

Before I could stop myself I growled at the Jacobconscience.

Jake laughed. "Geez, am I rubbing off on you or something? Quil was right, you are a _shit_ magnet."

I balked. "A shit magnet?"

"Yep. For some reason or another, any sort of trouble always finds its way to you."

"You have no idea how right you are." He grinned at me and I smacked him lightly. "Why are you laughing, this isn't funny?"

He chuckled again. "Oh yes, it is. So what's managed to find you this time?"

"You're taking this way too lightly."

"Oh come on, don't pout. I just figure after running into vampires and werewolves, you'd be used to this by now."

I grumbled. "It's a little more complicated this time."

Suddenly, Ve rushed into the room. "Where is Edward?"

Jake answered. "By the car. What's wrong?"

"Charlie is home." To punctuate her answer, I heard shouting come from outside.

I turned to look out the window to see the stand off happen. Edward got up from leaning against the car as Charlie stopped at the end of the sidewalk. I didn't like where this was going. They were just staring at each other, not moving. "Oh, _crap."_ I ran for the door, somehow managing to be the first one out.

They were both silent as I made my way between them. "Ok Dad, I think it's time we go." I put a hand to my mouth, stopping the nervous giggle that what threatening to get out.

"Why is he here?"

"There was a… an issue, and Sam thought Jake might need back up."

Charlie gave me an unbelieving look. "An issue."

"You know… an issue… last night… with me…" I rocked back on my heels, "and my bedroom."

"Your bedroom?" Edward interjected. "What happened?"

"Not now, Edward," I said through gritted teeth.

"Oh… That. Well I guess, just… get him out of here. Now."

"Right, guys," I called to Ve and Jake on the porch. "Let's go. Like now."

"You mean before your Dad tries to beat up your ex-boyfriend." Jake's shit-eating grin was firmly in place.

"Yes, that would be the reason."

"Fine, we're coming, we're coming," he said, sensing my annoyance. "Rough day Charlie?"

"You could say that. But then, you know all about those, now I'm hearing."

"You could say that." The grin never left his face even as he got into the car.

I rolled my eyes and headed over to Charlie. "I shouldn't be gone too long. I mean, we're just explaining the whole… thing." I don't know when I was going to get used to being what I was, but now wasn't the time.

He nodded. "I'd say be safe, but it doesn't seem like that's really an option right now."

Not knowing what to say, I just hugged him awkwardly.

"Oh come on don't be like that kiddo. I'm sure it'll turn out ok, won't it? It's nearly Ve's profession, and you've been through worse."

"It's not the meeting Dad. It's everything else."

Charlie sighed. "Yeah, well. Life deals you a hand and you just gotta play it. Have to say I'd prefer to be dealt no vampires for the immediate future."

"I'll tell them."

"Thanks. Now get going. Standing here and staring is about as civil as I can be right now."

I said my goodbyes and got in the front seat of the car, leaving Edward and Ve to squeeze in the back. Jake waved as he headed out.

It took some minutes before the silence of the ride was broken by Edward.

"Isabella, I do not mean to intrude or over step my boundaries, but why in God's name was Charlie thinking about you being on the ceiling last night?"

The car screeched to a halt and Jake whipped his head around. "She WHAT?"

I rolled my eyes and sighed. This was going to be a long ride.

A/N: So glad to get this one done. Big thanks to majestamoniet for helping me with a Charlie kerfluffle.

For some actual news, we're really coming to the end here. Yes, there is going to be a sequel, but after this one, we've got maybe one more chapter (two if we're lucky), and then an epilogue and then we're done. Come on, you knew it was coming after that huge battle.

So drop a review if you like, and I hope you enjoyed this one, because it gave me some problems, let me tell you.


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